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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25755472">Song Of The Siren</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rogue21/pseuds/Rogue21'>Rogue21</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Borderlands (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, M/M, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:27:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,658</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25755472</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rogue21/pseuds/Rogue21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When your head is filled with stories of heroes you like to pretend you’ll become one as well one day. Sam had that exact same dream, he was going to be the greatest Vault Hunter the Galaxy had ever seen. There was just one problem and that was Lilith, leader of the Crimson Raiders. She had him on her radar and not for good reasons.</p>
<p>But falling into the lap of a God-King is going to make history repeat itself if Sam isn’t careful, after all the Siren that got entangled with Handsome Jack ended up dead by Lilith’s hand.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Troy Calypso/Original Character(s), Troy Calypso/Original Male Character(s), Tyreen Calypso/Vaughn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Fart Bus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Alright, we break on Elpis for six hours and then it’s down to Pandora, eat, shit, fuck, whatever you lot got six hours to do it,” said the Bus Driver to Sam and their fellow passengers. Three days on a bus that smelled like the bus itself had taken a fart was not fun and it was still a long way to Pandora.</p>
<p>“Uh what if we don’t want to eat, shit or fuck?” Sam asked the Bus Driver as people started to depart. The Bus Driver glared at him.</p>
<p>“Then you stay on the bus,” he said in a gruff tone before forcing himself out of his seat. Sam stuck his tongue out while the Driver’s back was turned and sat back down in his seat and started to scan the ECHO.Net for anything good. Replaying the great Gaige’s video of seven years prior was always entertaining because it was the biggest hit amongst viewers, even the infamous Claypso Twins, a couple of streamers who livestreamed chaos and carnage would cite it as the ‘inspiration’ that led them to their creation of the Children of the Vault. Sam giggled at the looping clip of Troy thrusting his groin at the camera, causing the only other person on the bus to comment:</p>
<p>“Don’t tell me you find that appealing,” it was a blonde Elpis native, the accent was noticeable.</p>
<p>“Is that bad, everyone seems to tell me that I’m a bit of a…what did they call me, ah yes ‘cock guzzler for the God-King’ bunch of pricks, they don’t get it,” Sam replied as he turned off the broadcast.</p>
<p>“Fuck ‘em if they think that, I’m Janey Springs, mechanic and creator of the Moon Zoomy,” the woman said to him.</p>
<p>“Sam…that’s it just Sam my father couldn’t be arsed to give me his last name, anyway what brings you to the fart bus?” Sam asked Janey.</p>
<p>“Well, my girlfriend and I have been laying low for a while, leader of the Crimson Raiders keeps trying to send people after her, we’re actually meeting on Pandora to get a ship to Promethea to get some work done for Atlas, they’re paying us good money to help make deliveries and work on their equipment,” Janey said to him.</p>
<p>“Sweet, I’m going Vault Hunting, I have to be careful though, I too am on Lilith’s shit list, apparently when you livestream finding your first vault and declaring that you’re going to be the best Vault Hunter in the galaxy and anyone who disagrees can go suck an egg, you get put on the watch list,” Sam replied, Janey chuckled at his comment.</p>
<p>“Well we got six hours, you want food?” she asked. Sam shrugged and nodded, he had nothing better to do. His work wouldn’t start until he got to Pandora and he could start looking for the already open vaults so he could look into them and see what was left behind. “Say how old are you, a little young to be Vault Hunting aren’t you?” Janey said.</p>
<p>“I’m eighteen, what’s wrong with that?” Sam asked back.</p>
<p>“Nothing, just surprising, didn’t think anyone would be eager to hunt Vaults that young really, Athena’s not into the vault hunting much now after Lilith kidnapped her, she prefers being with me helping me out, killing monsters for me, we’ve got it good.” Janey then launched into a story about her and Athena helping finding the Vault of the Traveller, an interesting story to Sam. A Vault the Crimson Raiders nor the Calypso Twins had found it seemed.</p>
<hr/>
<p>When the six hour wait had passed, everyone boarded the bus for descent down to Pandora, another long journey in the fart bus. Sam sat at the back of the bus and turned on his ECHO to watch the latest livestream from the Twins.</p>
<p>“Alright you eager young things, we’re taking video messages, just pay the fee and you’ll get your video broadcasted live, start sending them in,” Tyreen said as she sat on her weird red velvet chair, why red velvet Sam didn’t know, maybe because of the Queen thing. He got out from his bag his streamer cam, a small pocket drone that he would send off first to go scouting before exploring places. He leaned back taking up the whole seat, lying leisurely and let the drone float above him and started to record.</p>
<p>“What’s up Calypsos’, name’s Sam and I’m coming to a Pandora near you, I have been stuck on this fart bus for three days straight and just spent six hours on Elpis, but soon I’ll be down on that pocket sand nightmare you call home where I’ll be doing a bit of adventuring, don’t be shy if you want to hit me up God-King.”</p>
<p>“Cock-guzzler!” someone from the front of the bus shouted. Sam rolled his eyes and cocked his handgun and placed a finger to his lips.</p>
<p>“He’s getting a surprise when we land, stay chill Calypso’s Sam out,” Sam said and cut the recording. He paid the five hundred credit fee and sent in the recording. He hoped they’d see the livestream and play it or maybe do hit him up. As the bus continued it’s descent to Pandora, Tyreen finally started looking at videos.</p>
<p>“Well fam, looks like we got a special video this time around from someone just called Sam, let’s give it a play,” she said and played the video. Sam smirked at his video being played on the stream. When the video was over, he could see Troy on the stream slightly blushing. “Well Sam looks like your little request got my brother all hot and bothered, maybe you can schedule a date when you get here, alright who’s next.” Sam turned off the stream and looked out the window, Pandora was getting closer in just a few hours he would be starting his first adventure. His only concern next was the Crimson Raiders interfering with his plans, which were very simple: find the open vaults, give them a onceover and get any interesting artefacts, info, treasures that were left behind and then move onto the next vault, easy, which made the Crimson Raiders trying to get involved much easier, though in his mind, they shouldn’t be concerned with already opened vaults. He settled down into his seat and heard his ECHO beep, a text message, rare to get those, he had no friends to message him. He opened up his messages to see the text was from the God-King. Butterflies seemed start pounding all over his stomach as he opened the message to see three words:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>See You Soon</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sam gasped at the message, dare he respond or should he play it cool, the God-King had responded to him. Thoughts started running through his head, Troy was either going to kill him or not, he was unsure. Sam was always considered a bold person by his dad and half the people he went to school with. Sam ignored the butterflies and Troy’s message to think about his real goa, the Vaults. A self-proclaimed Vault Hunter, nothing was going to distract him from being like his heroes Typhon DeLeon and Handsome Jack.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Catch-A-Vaughn</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Alright we’re here on Pandora, don’t die out there,” the Bus Driver said to everyone as the bus came to a halt outside of an area called Roland’s Rest. Sam walked off the bus getting a look at the statue of the acclaimed Roland former leader of the Crimson Raiders.</p>
<p>“This Roland guy must have been a big deal back in the day,” Sam commented to Janey as she lugged her rucksack out from the bus storage.</p>
<p>“Oh he was, a shame Handsome Jack killed him Jack wasn’t so bad you know before he went off the deep end of sanity,” Janey replied.</p>
<p>“The guy did save Elpis, that’s pretty heroic and he opened the Vault there, it’s on my list to find, my first step is I have to get to the Southern Shelf check out the rumours of a Vault there,” Sam said getting out his journal with his checklist.</p>
<p>“Well, good luck with your little adventure, if you find yourself on Promethea, look me and Athena up, you take care and watch out for those Twins if they’re around, you don’t want to get sucked into their Cult,” Janey warned him, Sam chuckled and got out his pocket drone.</p>
<p>“Their followers are Psychos and drooling idiots, I’ll be fine” he said.</p>
<p>“And what makes you different from them?” Janey asked him. Sam cocked his gun and immediately shot at the foot of the passenger who called him a cock-guzzler.</p>
<p>“Because I came from a family of Psychos and know how to be better,” he answered. Janey nodded giving the young Vault Hunter a look of approval.</p>
<p>“We all try to be,” she said as her ECHO started beeping. “Looks like I’ve got to skip, see you around kid.” Janey started to walk away into the dust with her rucksack and everyone started to depart, except for the man who had insulted Sam and was now getting a medi-heal from the vending machine. Sam’s ECHO beeped as he saw another message from Troy, what could the God-King have for him now?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Nice Shot On The Prick</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sam smirked, somehow the God-King had seen him shoot the poor bastard in the foot they have cameras all over then.</p>
<p>“Alright first, I need a car,” Sam muttered to himself as he brought out his journal with his checklist in and circled the Catch-A-Ride system. He could see one not too far off away from the bus station stop and started to walk over, but he couldn’t shake the feeling the Calypso Twins were somehow watching him. Maybe he could catch them out somehow with a request.</p>
<p>“Gee, I sure hope someone could get me a cool car in the Catch-A-Ride system,” he said loudly as he approached the Catch-A-Ride. He waited for a moment before he saw a small man start running up to him, they guy was wearing a cape and underwear and a pair of boots.</p>
<p>“Hey do you need help with the Catch-A-Ride?” the small man asked.</p>
<p>“Uh…sure…are you divine intervention from those God-Twins or whatever because I asked them for a car not…wait you look familiar,” Sam said as he thought back to Janey’s story. “What’s your name?”</p>
<p>“Name’s Vaughn, Bandit Bro, who are you?” Vaughn answered. Sam’s mouth dropped, he was the Bro from Janey’s story.</p>
<p>“No way you’re Vaughn, Rhys’s Bro, Vault of the Traveller, shredded with abs but….why do you smell like crotch rot?” he asked Vaughn.</p>
<p>“I might have been subject to a mutiny and now I have no Bandit crew, do you want to start a crew, you look tall enough to be intimidating, what’s your name by the way, I did ask,” Vaughn replied.</p>
<p>“Oh it’s Sam, I’m a Vault Hunter but don’t tell the Crimson Raiders I’m here, I’m already risking a lot by being on their turf anyway following rumours of small vaults that might still exist all over this place,” Sam told him as Vaughn led him to the Catch-A-Ride.</p>
<p>“Interesting, why were you wondering if those Calypso Twins sent me, I don’t affiliate with them or the Cult, they took all my crew,” Vaughn explained. Sam found it peculiar, the Vaughn that Janey described in her story was mousey, an accountant, clean shaven but still had abs everyone made sure that was apparent, this Vaughn looked like he’d been rolling in Skag filth. “Anyway I can help get you a car, where you heading to anyway?”</p>
<p>“Southern Shelf, following a lead, do you want to come, you will need pants and a shirt for this,” Sam advised him. Vaughn laughed and digi-structed a car for them.</p>
<p>“I don’t need pants, pants just hold you back,” Vaughn told him as he climbed into the car. Sam shrugged at Vaughn’s logic and he saw another message from Troy appear, this time with a picture attached.</p>
<p>“A picture, I feel like I shouldn’t open it,” Sam said getting into the car with Vaughn.</p>
<p>“What’s that, a message from Troy Calypso, you’re a fan of those Twins?” he asked Sam as he saw the unopened message on Sam’s ECHO.</p>
<p>“I sent them a video while on the bus down here, for fun mostly and because I’m not scared of these guys I’ve got my own thing but Troy…look we’ve known each other all of five minutes Vaughn but I’m gonna tell you a secret, promise to keep it?” Sam asked him.</p>
<p>“As Bro-leader of the Brogasm Clan, I- wait not the Bronettes, no…no yeah the Brojangles,” Vaughn began holding his hand up.</p>
<p>“None of those names are good at all, but promise, I think the God-King Troy is hot piece of crazy, he’s the only reason to watch the streams personally, not sure what he thinks but I doubt he and his sister message complete strangers without wanting something in return,” Sam explained. Vaughn started laughing at him and lowered his hand.</p>
<p>“You’re crazy kid, but I’ll keep it a secret, honour of the Bronetski’s…can I try out other names while we drive?”</p>
<p>“Sure thing, let’s see what this picture is,” Sam said. He opened the message and looked at the picture. Vaughn’s eyes widened at the photo.</p>
<p>“That’s a lot of tongue,” he commented. Sam had to agree, a lot of tongue in that selfie, the V with the fingers and the salacious look was surprising too.</p>
<p>“You think he’s got a bet going with his sister, should have maybe omitted the hit me up God-King from my video and just left it at the adventuring part,” he said as Vaughn started the car.</p>
<p>“You remind of me Rhys slightly, dude was obsessed with Handsome Jack, even had him in his head at one point, anyway to the Southern Shelf,” he said and started to drive. Sam closed his ECHO and watched the scenery go by, Vaughn was slightly unhinged but Sam was familiar with unhinged personalities, his whole family was unhinged, was it a blessing or a curse he only knew about them from his father’s stories?</p><hr/>
<p>The drive to Southern Shelf was a long one intercut with a lot of monsters and bandits trying to chase after them. But Vaughn was a good driver and he had good taste in music. The techno beats made the drive more vibe-y in his mind as the scenery changed from desert to snow and they made it to the Southern Shelf and the small now empty town of Liar’s Berg. This was prime opportunity for Sam to get the full scoop from Vaughn on Pandora’s situation.</p>
<p>“Okay Vaughn now that we’re here freezing our balls off, what is going on between the COV and the Crimson Raiders?” he asked Vaughn as they parked the car.</p>
<p>“Well, the Crimson Raiders are still looking for the Vault Key that they lost, the Calypso twins are also looking for this Vault Key because it can help lead them to the other vaults and eventually the Great Vault, but e Raiders want to stop them because evil or something,” Vaughn explained to him.</p>
<p>“Then the COV are my kind of people then, they just want to find Vaults and find all the cool shit inside, like me, I want to see what cool shit is inside Vaults, no one told Typhon DeLeon he wasn’t allowed to go Vault hunting,” Sam replied. He brought out his journal and looked at the Southern Shelf page, studying his goals and the likely place this Vault could be located.</p>
<p><br/>
“So what’s the Vault you’re looking for?” Vaughn asked as he tried to peek at the journal.</p>
<p><br/>
“Well it’s supposedly called the Vault of the Freezer or something, super cold, no monster as far as my research told me but the weapon inside is like something to do with cold damage,” Sam explained. “If we want to find it we need to go the Soaring Dragon, Captain Flynt’s dead so it’s all abandoned, I also want to look into something if it’s true my suspicions will be confirmed.”</p>
<p>“What suspicion is that?” Vaughn asked with intrigue.</p>
<p>“That I’m a Flynt and Captain’s my Uncle and the reason dad never gave me the surname Flynt is because he doesn’t want me to be associated with the name or the reputation, he's mentioned how crazy his family was and that they're a bunch of Psychos,” Sam explained. It was an obvious secret but every time he questioned it his father would shoot him down. He never got his father’s last name and his mother had no last name. If he could find the proof then his dad would have to shut up and listen to him instead of lecturing him on how to 'be better'.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Vault Of The Ice-Shard</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The trek to the Soaring Dragon was light and breezy except for the Rakks flying everywhere.</p>
<p>“So let me get this straight, your father was barely around so you grew up listening to the tales of Typhon DeLeon and later on Handsome Jack and decided to be a Vault Hunter, your dad said no, you asked about the Flynt name he said to drop it and when you were seventeen you found your first Vault called the Vault of Silence and that’s when the Crimson Raiders contacted you asking about the vault, you told them to suck eggs because they wanted your treasure and now they consider you an enemy,” Vaughn reiterated.</p>
<p>“Pretty much, dad never used the Flynt name in private, only on jobs, he told me it was a cover-name for his jobs, said he had no last name, and when I found my Vault and sold the treasure inside to the Torgue Corporation, I had enough change to get off that grease pot I called home and high tail it out to the real adventure: Pandora,” Sam added on.</p>
<p>“What was the treasure inside that Vault?”</p>
<p>“A special crystal that launched a huge explosion when activated, good for grenades really, Mr. Torgue wanted to try his new idea ‘stealth grenades’ silent when thrown, loud explosion when set off to go with their massive explosive radius, and his company offered a lot of money in exchange.” Vaughn whistled in awe at the story.</p>
<p>“Stealth grenades, what will they think of next, so how did you find out about this Vault?” he asked him as they walked through the old wreckages of shipping crates.</p>
<p>“The Silent Vault had a clue leading to the Southern Shelf saying that Ice was also a purveyor of Silence or something profound, but I knew that if the Crimson Raiders hadn’t found this Vault, they would start searching so I figured that if I could add the already open Vaults into my search and mention those only in conversation, they wouldn’t realise I’m looking for these other secret Vaults,” Sam explained. He had a goal in mind find all the vaults, closed and opened, perhaps find this Great Vault and find the treasure inside.</p>
<p>“How are you going to achieve that with the Calypso Twins and the Crimson Raiders at war?”</p>
<p>“Please they’ll be too busy fighting each other to notice little old me sneaking around finding keys, opening doors, finding out secrets and eventually getting to the Great Vault first,” Sam said with a smile.</p>
<p>“Ooh like a spy, I like it, can I join in this adventure, it sounds so exciting, Broad Trip, that’s it I have our Clan name, The Bronnection Connection,” Vaughn declared puffing out his chest in excitement. Sam stopped and stared at him for a moment before shaking his head.</p>
<p>“No, we need a Bro pun but it needs to be cool, not stupid, what about Vault Bros’ simple, short and it shows our clear affiliation with Vault Hunting,” Sam suggested. Vaughn nodded and gave him a thumbs up.</p>
<p>“Alright, Vault Bros’ it is and you’re Lead-Bro and I’m Vice-Bro,” he agreed. Vault Bros’ still wasn’t a good name but it meant Vaughn would be quiet now on the names. As they neared the Soaring Dragon, Sam sent off his drone in to scout the area and give him a visual. He ECHO caught a broadcast coming from the Twins as he put the drone into picture in picture and turned on the stream.</p>
<p>“What up Bitches, God-Queen Tyreen here coming at you live from Pandora, looks like our little adventurer who’ve we now dubbed Super Sam has made it to Pandora and has already made a friend, look it’s little Vaughn that garbage piece of trash who couldn’t hold down his own bandit clan, he’s had twelve in the last five years, HA! Alright now onto our latest news update, the Crimson Raiders are still trying to snap at our asses but our forces have driven them back into the Droughts, but Super Sam has vanished off the grid since heading to Southern Shelf, guess he’s got a sidekick for his adventure, well good luck Super Sam and don’t die out there, also Troy hopes you like the photo,” Tyreen called out on screen before the broadcast cut to a shot of Sam shooting the guy who insulted him, chatting Vaughn and a still shot of him looking up, apparently directly into the camera, and a wolf-whistle audio clip being played.</p>
<p>“She’s super lucky I don’t call in to complain,” Vaughn commented. Sam laughed and went back to his drone’s camera, no enemies just an empty ship still spitting fire.</p>
<p>“Place is empty, we’re good to go, first I want to find proof my dad and Captain Flynt are related and then we can head underneath the Dragon to find the Vault, the key isn’t a physical object but it is a riddle and I hate riddles,” Sam told Vaughn as they approached the ship. They headed inside starting to climb the precariously built wreckage that was rusting and starting to fall to pieces. Sam had heard of Captain Flynt’s antics of torturing people and setting them on fire when they displeased him, and also having a Claptrap as a toy to beat up on. When they reached the top where Captain Flynt’s old quarters were, Sam started to search thoroughly while Vaughn kept watch and also keeping tabs on the Calypso Twin’s latest murder stream.</p>
<p>“Their production value has really increased since those sponsorships started coming in, found anything yet?” Vaughn asked.</p>
<p>“Not yet, but-…wait, I think I found it, photographs ha, knew the old bastard would have still had photos lying around,” Sam called out finding a folder of photographs. He started to rifle through most of them were pictures of torture victims, his favourite flamethrowers or Claptrap but the final photo was the proof in the pudding he needed. “Check it out Vaughn, I found the one.” Vaughn hoped on over the trash to see a photograph of Captain Flynt, son Sparky Flynt, Baron Flynt and in the middle of them a greying haired man holding a baby boy in one hand and a gun in the other. On the back it read: <em>Me and the still living family, Sparky, Zane, Baron and Zane’s spawn Sam Flynt.</em></p>
<p>“Flynt, there it is, you’re a Flynt!” Vaughn exclaimed.</p>
<p>“That’s that family secret found, I’m keeping a hold of this photo, when I can find my dad we’re going to have a surprise reunion, but that can wait, I’ve got more pressing matters like this Vault,” Sam said.</p>
<p>“Do you think if Lilith found out she’ll be pissed?” Vaughn asked. Sam shrugged, she wasn’t his concern, he was worried that the Twins would find him and the Vault but they had been radio silent since reaching the Shelf and didn’t seem too concerned with his goal. They headed back down the Dragon, hearing the wind run through the rusted metal and making it groan from their movement. A storm was going to pick up and blow them away if they weren’t careful.</p>
<hr/>
<p>When they reached the bottom of the ship, Sam found the ice-cave that had been boarded up, but the boards were rotting and coming loose. Together, he and Vaughn pulled the boards off and ventured down into the cave to the door of the Vault.</p>
<p>“According to my research from the Silent Vault, there are four Elemental Vaults that have elemental weapons locked inside, the keys are in the riddles on each door and they only open if you can guess it right but they’re so obscure because they’re like questions within questions, if that makes sense,” Sam said reading from his journal.</p>
<p><br/>“No sure, you want people to fail getting into the vault you give them an impossible question,” Vaughn agreed. They approached the door of the Vault, old stone with symbols all over the door and the riddle written down in Eridian.</p>
<p><br/>“Can you read it?” Sam opened up his journal and turned to his cipher, an anonymous friend on the ECHO.Net had given him the cipher in exchange for some notes on the Silent Vault. His eyes switched between the cipher and the door as he sent his drone to keep a watch on the cave entrance.</p>
<p>“Okay I think I got it, it says ‘The Vault of the Ice-Shard: Silence doesn’t betray, whisper something into the door for the silence to honour and keep within the confines of the ice’ so it wants a secret, silence can’t let a secret out, if I tell the door a secret it will open the door and keep the secret,” Sam explained to Vaughn.</p>
<p>“But you told me your secret about the God-King, I don’t think the door would accept that,” Vaughn pointed out.</p>
<p>“I have a better secret for the door than ‘I fancy Troy’,” Sam said and put the book away, he walked to the door, placed his hands on the door and whispered his secret. There was a moment of pause before the scraping of stone and the door started to open.</p>
<p>“Wow you really did it, what was the secret then?” Vaughn asked wanting to know.</p>
<p>“I can’t tell you that, it’s a secret,” Sam said and laughed. He gestured for Sam to follow him down the steps and into the Vault of the Ice-Shard.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Valkyrie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sam and Vaughn descended down into the Vault, arriving in a large ice-cavern, at the end of the cavern sat an item on a pedestal with a large statue behind it and a mural of ancient Eridians all celebrating. Sam walked into the cavern, noting the dancing wispy lights floating all around him as he approached the Ice-Shard’s secret.</p>
<p>“What is it?” Vaughn wondered as Sam looked over the item.</p>
<p>“It’s…it’s a pair of gloves,” he replied as he picked them up. He pulled off his leather gloves and put on the white gloves and blue gloves, they were a pearlescent scale that flashes rainbow colours off the ice-walls as he examined them. Thinking, he looked around to see a broken ice pillar. “Maybe,” he muttered and pointed his left hand at the broken pillar, ice started to shoot out from the gloves and as the power flowed from the glove rebuilding the pillar, he saw on his arms, pearlescent tattoos building up to his elbows as the gloves then seemingly disappeared from his hands. He looked back at his hands, the gloves were gone but he could still produce this power. He took out his journal and started writing down his findings and looked at the pedestal deciphering the writing.</p>
<p>“How did you do that, you absorbed the gloves?” Vaughn exclaimed in surprise at what had transpired.</p>
<p>“Incredible, the Ice-Shard was a power, disguised in the form of gloves, if you put them on, your body absorbs the power and gives you the ability to produce ice, each element had its power disguised and hidden, such power and magic, it’s like a…a Build-A-Siren with the tattoos,” Sam said looking at the tattoos. “But it’s not Siren power, it’s something else, it opposes them…hmm let me try and decipher this word, carry that…swap those and…I’m not a Siren Vaughn, I’m a Valkyrie!”</p>
<p>“What’s a Valkyrie?” Vaughn asked looking visibly confused, Siren’s he knew existed but he had never heard of a Valkyrie before.</p>
<p>“I’m not too sure, there was a story about Valkyries being these fierce warriors but that was it, if I had an Eridian expert with me I could find out but judging from these murals and what’s written down, I can find more answers at the Fire Vault, which I have no idea where it is, I might need to go to my friend who gave me the Cipher, PattyTan12 no idea where they’re based,” Sam said in a disappointed tone.</p>
<p>“Oh I know who can help, Tannis she works for the Raiders but she knows a lot about this Vault stuff and is currently on her own special dig right now and wants no disturbance, so why don’t we disturb her and get help,” Vaughn suggested to him, Sam thought, it sounded like a good idea and couldn’t hurt to get an expert’s help.</p>
<p>“So long as Lilith doesn’t find out we’re good,” Sam agreed. He and Vaughn fist-bumped and started to leave the Vault.</p>
<p>“Ice powers huh, sounds like it could be useful,” Vaughn noted as they walked up the stairs. “Now Tannis is in the Droughts right now where the Crimson Raiders are located but we get around this by getting a jamming signal from the Holy Broadcast Center, they use it so they can interrupt broadcasts with their propaganda, we can use it to keep any Crimson Raider call away from us,” he explained. Time for his tech knowledge to shine. As they exited the cave, a Rakk suddenly swooped in and started fly around the small area panicking at the lack of space. Vaughn panicked and shot his gun instantly and a creaking sound was heard. Sam looked and saw Vaughn had shot the keystone to the wreckage out of place.</p>
<p>“Oh shit, it’s all coming down, fuck the Rakk, and run!” Sam cried pushing Vaughn to get out of the gap.</p>
<p>They started to run down the snow bank to get to the holding gates but everything was collapsing and fast. Sam tripped and fell into the snow and he looked up to see the Dragon head falling, he held up his arms and blasted ice hoping it would knock the Dragon out of place when a sudden red energy surrounded him and he felt someone pushing him, a strange blast of energy radiated as the Dragon hit the ground and Sam found himself lying in the snow, lying on top of him Troy Calypso, breathing heavily.</p>
<p>“That was too close,” he said trying to catch his breath. Sam looked around, Vaughn was sitting in the snow dumbfounded and it was just the three of them. He looked back at Troy who turned to him and grinned.</p>
<p>“You’re welcome,” he said and stood up, he held out his left hand to Sam that was covered in red strange tattoos. Sam reached up and grabbed the God-King’s hand getting pulled up out of the snow and then very close to Troy. “We have no cameras down here in the Southern Shelf, sis was getting antsy wondering what you were up to and low and behold you’re a Vault Hunter, mind sharing what you found?”</p>
<p>“Holy crap Sam, he’s a Siren!” Vaughn cried out getting up and loading his gun. Sam couldn’t speak, his mouth refused to move as he stared up at Troy, hypnotised by his blue eyes, he had no idea they were blue at all. But a Siren, impossible.</p>
<p>“I…uh…you’re standing so close I can’t deal right now,” Sam said feeling very aware of Troy’s presence. Troy laughed and let go of Sam taking a couple steps back.</p>
<p>“Oh you’re cute, but do answer the question, what did you find in the vault?” Troy asked him again. Sam, feeling the confidence return to him, held up his hands and let the ice power dance around his hands, the pearlescent tattoos shining.</p>
<p>“I found a new power, I’m a Valkyrie,” he said smiling at the God-King.</p>
<p>“What’s a Valkyrie?” Troy asked giving him a confused look.</p>
<p>He’s a Valkyrie, you’re a Siren it’s like a crazy twist of fate right I mean guys can’t be Siren’s but you…no, no that’s crazy!” Vaughn said exasperated. Troy glared at the small man and then looked back at Sam.</p>
<p>“Can you fly?” he asked him. Sam shook his head.</p>
<p>“No, I just found the ice- powers in the cave, I’d say you can go in and look but Vaughn sort of caved it in,” he answered. Troy smirked at Sam and then ran his tongue across his bottom lip and grinned.</p>
<p>“Well, I have to bounce but uh…if you ever find yourself about to be crushed by a piece of falling debris again, give me a call, see you later Valkyrie,” he said and then vanished in a blast of red energy. Sam stood there stunned by what had just happened as Vaughn walked over to him.</p>
<p>“He didn’t kill us…or insult us, but he’s a Siren, Tyreen must be one too then, being Twins and all,” Vaughn said. Sam stood there in thought, thinking about the feeling of Troy lying on him, his smell, the feel of his warm breath against his face when he asked him a question.</p>
<p>“Why did he save me?” Sam asked, the first real question he should have been asking himself.</p>
<p>“I don’t know why he wanted to save you but we better get going and find that signal jammer,” Vaughn said. Sam stared at the spot where Troy had been standing, too lost to move. “Sam, come on get moving, you can fantasize later,” Vaughn said starting to push him. This seemed to push Sam back to reality as he started to walk back to Liar’s Berg and the car. But it was still crazy, a Flynt, a Valkyrie and Troy was a Siren, what next?</p>
<hr/>
<p>At the Chapel of the Twin Gods, Troy arrived back, landing with a heavy thud on the floor as Tyreen was reading through latest news on her ECHO. She looked up in intrigue and noticed her brother had returned, looking slight worse for wear, meaning he had used those limited Siren powers of his for something.</p>
<p>“So what was so important that you needed to leave in the middle of a broadcast?” she asked him.</p>
<p>“You won’t believe what happened, you know that Sam guy from the video, he’s a Vault Hunter, no affiliation with the Raiders from what it seems, but when I got there the whole Soaring Dragon was collapsing and he was about to get crushed so I used that teleportation thing and managed to move him in time, crazy, but super tiring,” Troy explained before falling onto the nearby grotty couch.</p>
<p>“Well duh Troy, here knock yourself out,” she said and tossed him an Eridium bar. Troy held onto the bar absorbing it slowly to gain some strength back.</p>
<p>“There was something else,” Troy said before hesitating, would it be worth telling Tyreen that Sam had a weird new power that makes their Siren tattoos looks shit compared Sam’s pretty pearlescent arms.</p>
<p>“Which was?” Tyreen asked him.</p>
<p>“Eh, was nothing, I’m going to take a nap,” he said and settled down into the couch, sill thinking about Sam and his pearlescent arms. Guy was pretty cute, green eyes, scruffy auburn hair, and an accent that wasn’t far off a Zaford’s. Soft spoken too, but he probably had a plethora of blasphemous language hidden under his tongue. He knew if he even entertained the thought of revealing his thoughts Tyreen would mock him until the end of time. Better keep that to himself.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Midnight On Pandora</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The trip to the Holy Broadcast Center was a long trip and it was late by the time they reached it to get the signal jammer. Sam was too tired though to deal with them and wanted to just sleep so Vaughn drove them back to his crib in Roland’s Rest. Vaughn was straight into bed and sleeping snuggled up under his blanket, he offered to share with Sam but Sam thought rather not, besides it was a clear night and sleeping under an empty night sky on a roof felt more in tune with his adventurous feelings. He climbed up onto Vaughn’s roof, getting a look at the Roland statue and setting up his bed, a thick blanket and a pillow, and thinner blanket to sleep under. He turned on his hologram and pulled up his favourite chill music radio station. He observed his arms and the new tattoos and settled down. This was the adventure he’d been wanting, danger, open night skies, a whacky sidekick, even if he did never wear pants. In all the adventure tales he’d read growing up there was one thing he hadn’t experienced yet which was the classic ‘romance subplot’ falling in love with a beautiful and fierce woman, well man in his case. He then started to think about Troy, what was he doing at this time of the night?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Shoot it true</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I need you in the picture</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>That’s why I’m calling you (calling you)</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>One of Sam’s more favoured songs to listen to. He brought up the photograph from Troy, he was wondering a few things, why did Troy send him the photo or even save him from the falling Dragon?</p>
<p>“What’s your angle?” Sam wondered to himself as he turned to his side. The ECHO started to beep as he saw a call coming in, from Troy himself. “Now that’s odd,” Sam said also noticing that it was a video call. He pressed accept on the call and a hologram of Troy appeared.</p>
<p>“Well, well, wondered if you would accept my call Valkyrie,” Troy said to him.</p>
<p><br/>“Shouldn’t you have waited for me to call first, after all I’m not in danger of being crushed right now, in fact I’m trying to sleep and wondering why you’re teasing me with selfies and saving my life,” Sam replied.</p>
<p>“The selfie was Tyreen’s insistence, she thinks an ‘on-stream crush’ will gain more viewers, I think its lame, but your video, was the position intentional?” Troy asked.</p>
<p>“I had the entire back of the bus to myself, plus I can afford some of those Eridium tier perks, why, like what you saw?” Sam asked back. Troy made, what could only be interpreted as, a series of huffs, making shocked expressions.</p>
<p>“No,” he said his voice rising a bit in denial. Sam laughed at Troy’s expression and rolled onto his back.</p>
<p>“Whatever God-King, now if you don’t mind, I want to go to bed, I’m venturing into Crimson Raider territory tomorrow and I don’t want Lilith finding me or my new powers,” Sam told him.</p>
<p>“Eurgh, fine I’ll let you sleep, stay sharp Valkyrie, I’ll be probably be saving your life again real soon,” Troy said. Sam chuckled at the notion.</p>
<p>“Sure you will,” he said and hang up the call, settling back down onto his roof-bed and going back to his radio station cutting the middle of a new song.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>When you feel you’ve had enough, and you wasted all your love</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I’ll be here for you, here for you,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>When the dog is at his bone, and you run away from home</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I’ll be here for you, here for you,</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sam glanced to his ECHO, another of his favourites playing. He gazed up at the stars waiting for sleep, the music playing softly in the open air. Somehow Pandora was feeling quite peaceful right now. No explosions, no psychotic ramblings, peaceful. It was comforting to Sam. Could Troy be experiencing the same tranquillity he was?</p>
<hr/>
<p>The Chapel of the Twin Gods was rarely quiet but when it was Tyreen felt like she could finally get a decent night sleep. The same couldn’t be said for Troy as insomnia was kicking in hard and fast and he needed stimulation. Down in his personal workshop where he worked his weapons, arm and various other pieces of crap he liked to fix, he had the radio going listening to his favourite Promethean Radio Station, Halcyon Nights FM.</p>
<p>“It’s Halcyon Nights FM where it’s always midnight somewhere in the Galaxy. Tonight’s news, Atlas has released a statement regarding the interest by Maliwan to buy out the company and make it subsidiary of Maliwan,” DJ Weaver said on the radio.</p>
<p>“Atlas has stood strong since I rebuilt it from the ashes, and our stance remains the same Atlas will not merge with Maliwan,” said the voice of Rhys on the radio. Troy snorted in disbelief, no way would Atlas keep holding out against the Maliwan buyout, something was going to go wrong for them. Corporate sponsorships wasn’t his deal anyway, you’d have to shill their products in the broadcast at some point and nobody would go for either Maliwan or Atlas asking them to shill guns when they had their own brand, and the only corporation he would even consider working with, was Torgue. He pulled down his goggles and started to tinker with his prosthetic arm that was laid out on the workbench, as the DJ finished his news segment.</p>
<p>“And now for our guest of the night, you all know him as a connoisseur of finely crafted explosions and for the next three hours he’s going to be hanging out with us live here in the Halcyon studio, its Mr. Torgue,” DJ Weaver announced.</p>
<p>“GOOD EVENING LISTENERS OF HALCYON NIGHTS FM, IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE! Mr. Torgue yelled on the radio causing Troy to drop his screwdriver in shock. Torgue weapons were great but Mr. Torgue, you needed ear muffs to be near him.</p>
<p>“Alright Mr. Torgue lovely to have you here, now you have recently released your new product to the market, a Stealth Grenade, doesn’t seem like your thing, do tell us about this new product,” the DJ said.</p>
<p>“WELL YOU SEE DJ WEAVER, MOST PEOPLE WHEN THEY THROW A GRENADE WANT THE EXPLOSION TO BE THE SURPRISE BUT YOU CAN HEAR AND SEE GRENADES HIT THE GROUND WHICH MEANS PEOPLE WANT TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. THE STEALTH GRENADE HAS A CLOAKING FEATURE AND SILENCER SO YOU CAN THROW THE GRENDADE WITHOUT BEING SEEN AND SURPRISE THEM WITH AN EXPLOSION!” Mr. Torgue explained. Stealth Grenades, maybe a box of those would give the Crimson Raiders a nice surprise, Troy thought himself with a smile.</p>
<p>“How did you come to craft such an item?” DJ Weaver asked him.</p>
<p>“A PLUCKY YOUNG KID CAME TO ME WITH THIS STRANGE CRYSTAL, THAT WHEN YOU TOUCHED IT, IT VANISHED BUT IT EMITTED THE BIGGEST EXPLOSION YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE WHEN LAUNCHED, IT WAS RAAAADDICALLL!”</p>
<p>“Where did this kid acquire such an innovative piece of technology?” DJ Weaver wondered. Troy wanted to wonder too as he worked on his arm.</p>
<p>“THIS PLUCKY KID, SAID HE FOUND IT IN A VAULT IN HIS OWN BACKYARD, SAID HE WAS GOING TO BECOME THE GREATEST VAULT HUNTER EVER AND WAS GOING TO HEAD TO PANDORA, I TOLD HIM ‘YOU’RE CRAZY KID, YOU’RE GONNA NEED TORGUE APPROVED WEAPONRY TO GET YOU THERE’, SO I PAID HIM TWO MILLION DOLLARS AND GAVE HIM THREE TORGUE WEAPONS AS PAYMENT, PLUS A HIGH-FIVE!” Troy dropped his screw driver again in shock. Plucky kid, greatest vault hunter, heading to Pandora, no.</p>
<p>“Did he have an accent Torgue?” he asked the radio knowing full well Mr. Torgue wouldn’t hear him.</p>
<p>“Tell us about this plucky young kid, I’m sure our listeners would love to know more,” DJ Weaver said.</p>
<p>“HE WAS A SKINNY LAD, WORE A HYPERION DUSTER, AND HAD REDDISH HAIR, SOFT ACCENT THOUGH LIKE HE CAME FROM ONE OF THOSE OUTER PLANETS,” Mr. Torgue replied. That had to be Sam, Troy thought, he’d found a Vault that led him to Pandora and he sold what was inside to the Torgue Corporation.</p>
<p>“Boy if the Crimson Raiders found out,” Troy said getting back to his arm.</p>
<p>“Well let’s hope that plucky kid is having the time of his life out there on Pandora, alright Torgue, let’s get to our favourite game when we have guests on!” DJ Weaver said excitedly.</p>
<p>“WHAT’S THAT SOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNDDDDD!” Mr. Torgue yelled on the radio. Troy yelled the name along with Mr. Torgue before a slam on the door took his attention and he saw Tyreen standing in the doorway.</p>
<p>“Troy! I can hear your stupid radio across the other side of the Chapel, turn it down or go the fuck to sleep!” Tyreen shouted at him.</p>
<p>“Sorry sis, I’ll turn it down, they’re about to play What’s That Sound,” Troy said putting down the screwdriver and turning the dial on the radio down.</p>
<p>“The God-Queen needs her beauty sleep, you too you’re looking rough, did the nap do nothing for you?” she said to him.</p>
<p>“I’m fine, just don’t feel like sleeping right now, you go to sleep, I have work to do,” Troy said getting back to his arm. Tyreen turned on her heel and left him to his work. Troy sighed and got back to work on his arm as DJ Weaver and Mr. Torgue played a special edition of What’s That Sound where they play grenade explosions and Mr. Torgue guessed which brand the grenade was.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Tannis</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning was a heat wave and Sam had to ditch the Hyperion Duster and T-shirt to beat the heat.</p>
<p>“Alright Sam, let’s get that signal jammer, I got a friend at the Center who can hook us up, called her this morning and she’s planning to meet us at the gate,” Vaughn said. “Also I have to commend you on the bod bro, what do you do spin cycle?”</p>
<p>“Crunches and possibly dehydration,” Sam said looking at his abs that were showing through. Most likely dehydration. “Alright so the signal jammer, we get that, turn it on and head to the Droughts and meet this Tannis.”</p>
<p>“That’s the plan, we tune it into Crimson Raider frequencies and it should block us from their radar, if we get going now we’ll make it in time for Mouthpiece’s morning radio show,” Vaughn said.</p>
<p>“What is that important?”</p>
<p>“Sometimes I end up as a conversation piece, twelve clans in five years and my last clan the Sun Smashers they all abandoned me for the COV,” Vaughn explained. The got into the car and he saw the COV cameras were live.</p>
<p>“Did they just put camera up everywhere to keep surveillance or what?” Sam asked.</p>
<p>“Half surveillance, half to find out what people do when they think no one’s watching,” Vaughn answered. Sam looked up at the camera, hoping the Twins were watching this one so they could see him shirtless and turned to get into the car.</p>
<p>“Alright to the Broadcast center and meet your friend.” Vaughn started the car and they drove into the desert heading to Ascension Bluff and the Broadcast Center. Sam hoped the heat would cease, he was already missing the freezing temperatures of the Southern Shelf. His ECHO beeped as another call from Troy came in.</p>
<p>“God-King’s calling,” Sam said.</p>
<p>“Answer but don’t let him know that I’m here,” Vaughn replied. Sam chuckled and answered the call.</p>
<p>“Hi Troy, Vaughn told me to tell you he’s not here, what do you want?” he asked.</p>
<p>“You got paid two million dollars by the Torgue Corporation for an exploding Eridian Crystal?” Troy cried out on the call.</p>
<p>“Yeah, what of it?” Sam asked.</p>
<p>“He sounds more unhinged than normal,” Vaughn noted. Sam had to agree there.</p>
<p>“That’s awesome!” Troy explained. “I just bought like five crates of those Stealth Grenades with our revenue and we’re going to use them against the Crimson Raiders!”</p>
<p>“See this is why Lilith hates people like you Sam, you just gave the Children of the Vault more ammo against the Crimson Raiders,” Vaughn told him.</p>
<p>“Like I care what she thinks, ooh she can fly, well if I find the rest of the Valkyrie vaults I probably will too, people like her are the reason Vault Hunting is such a bloodbath, you think Typhon DeLeon ever told someone, ‘no I found the first vault, ergo no one is allowed to find another vault except for me’ no because Typhon was an adventurer and not a straight up gatekeeper,” Sam said.</p>
<p>“He was kind of a gatekeeper,” Troy mumbled. “Whatever, I have work to do, but if you do find another Vault, I’m joining you, maybe I’ll get lucky and find some good shit in there too,” he said.</p>
<p>“He is not muscling in on the Vault Bros’,” Vaughn said. Troy then burst out laughing at the name,</p>
<p>“The Vault Bros, oh God you two are lame.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think we have a choice Vaughn, and it’s not lame, I came up with the name, and by joining our adventure, you’re becoming a Vault Bro too,” Sam pointed out. Troy immediately stopped laughing at the notion.</p>
<p>“He’s right Vaughn, you don’t have a choice and I refuse to call myself a Vault Bro, give me an update soon, God-King out!” Troy said and hung up the call. Vaughn grumbled as they continued driving.</p>
<p>“If I die in his presence, both of your asses are getting haunted,” Vaughn warned him. Sam knew Vaughn would try and follow through with that threat if he tried hard enough.</p>
<hr/>
<p>They eventually reached the Broadcast Center and parked outside, Vaughn immediately waved to his friend Vic and ran over to her.</p>
<p>“Hey Vic how’s life as a Cultist?” he asked her optimistically.</p>
<p>“Vaughn, still protesting pants I see,” Vic said noting Vaughn’s dirty underwear.</p>
<p>“You know it, oh this is my new Bro Sam,” he said pointing to Sam who just waved, feeling the heat radiating off of him. “Do you have our signal jammer, tell Mouthpiece I will stop calling into the show for one week because of this.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure he’ll be thrilled, here it is,” Vic said handing over a dead Claptrap. Sam looked at the Claptrap slightly confused, how was this thing supposed to jam signals?</p>
<p>“Uh, not to sound ungrateful but that doesn’t look like a signal jammer,” he pointed out.</p>
<p>“That’s the point, we modified a Claptrap Unit to have the Signal jammer, you turn it on, tune into the frequency and it follows you around jamming the frequencies from locating you,” Vic explained and turned it on. The Claptrap powered up and started to dance. “It does have a weird glitch where it likes to dance but you get what you give, I guess.” Suddenly there was an announcement.</p>
<p>“INCOMING NEW BROADCAST FROM THE GODS!” Mouthpiece yelled over the tannoy. Everyone started to crowd around televisions as the broadcast began. Vaughn and Sam followed Vic and the moonwalking Claptrap to a nearby TV.</p>
<p>“What’s up followers God-Queen Tyreen here giving you the morning updates, we are now stocking Stealth Grenades thanks to the mastery of the Torgue Corporation who have recently put this new toy on the market, let’s go to Troy for live-testing,” Tyreen said as the camera then switched to Troy in a large testing field.</p>
<p>“Thanks Ty, God-King Troy Calypso here testing out our new Stealth Grenades, it’s a simple thing, press the blue button for stealth and silence mode, pull the pin and launch, YEET!” Troy said throwing the grenade to the target in the middle of the test field.</p>
<p>“Did he just say yeet?” Vaughn asked as they watched a sudden explosion erupt from the sand.</p>
<p>“And there you go, now you can give people what I’m calling the Sunrise Surprise, YEET!” Troy cried and threw another.</p>
<p>“Seriously, how do you find that attractive?” Vaughn asked Sam as they watched another explosion erupt.</p>
<p>“No comment, also that’s not what a Sunrise Surprise is, it has a way dirtier connotation where I’m from,” Sam commented. Vic giggled as the broadcast cut to generic ads and repeating clips.</p>
<p>“Well thank you Vic for the Claptrap Jammer, we’ll catch up soon, okay,” Vaughn said.</p>
<p>“Sure thing Vaughn, but seriously take a shower,” Vic advised him. He nodded in assurance and turned to walk away the Moonwalking Claptrap following. Sam stood there confused a moment and then started to follow Vaughn back to the car.</p>
<hr/>
<p>They drove down into the Droughts arriving at Tannis’s dig site. Vaughn started tuning the Claptrap as they approached the dig site.</p>
<p>“Can we trust her Vaughn?” Sam asked.</p>
<p>“She’s smart and knows this stuff so probably,” Vaughn suggested.</p>
<p>“Hello…I hear voices so unless you’re here for Eridium, go away,” they heard a shrill voice say from inside a tent.</p>
<p>“We’re here about Vaults, we found one in the Southern Shelf, small, had a power in it connected to something called the Valkyrie,” Sam said approaching the tent. There was a sound of movement as Tannis walked out wearing a strange contraption on her head.</p>
<p>“Valkyrie, that’s just a footnote in Eiridian Lore, barely worth looking into, why what did you find in this so-called Vault, I remember someone giving me lore on a vault that mentioned Valkyries but it was very little,” Tannis explained. This spraked a memory, this must be PatTan12.</p>
<p>“Wait, you must have given me the cipher PatTan12 right?” Sam asked her. Tannis looked surprised for a moment before nodding.</p>
<p>“You must be HandsomeDeLeon, always nice to meet a fellow fan, if you found a Valkyrie Vault then we have much to discuss, I noticed you’re using a signal jammer meaning you don’t want certain people to listen in on this conversation,” she said walking to her workbench.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I don’t want the Raiders knowing, I did tell Lilith to suck an egg after all,” Sam said.</p>
<p>“Well let’s start at the beginning the Vault of Silence, from the notes and writings you sent me, it is the first of four vaults, the other three Vaults are Ice, Fire and Lightning, you must have found the Vault of the Ice-Shard in Southern Shelf what did you find there?” Tannis asked him.</p>
<p>“Gloves, I put them on and they absorbed into me and I got these tattoos, not Siren-like at all,” Sam said showing the tattoos off and revealing the ice. Tannis started to observe his arms and the ice staring intently before snapping her fingers.</p>
<p>“I’ve got it, you are becoming a Valkyrie, while Siren’s are born with their powers, Valkyries are chosen, by putting on the gloves you have accepted the mantle of Valkyrie-Queen or King in your case, according to my Eridian Lore I looked into after I got your notes, Valkyries were fierce warriors who led the fronts of the Eridians' forces, but they were led by a Queen or King who all three powers of Ice, Fire and Lightning, you have found the Hands of Ice and your next goal is the Wings of Fire, now they didn’t hide them all on Pandora, that would be ridiculous, but they did lock them in specific thematic planets, a place with lots of fire that could help you is Eden-4,” Tannis explained.</p>
<p>“The Spa Planet, where all the fancy big wigs go and get massages and eat Skag Testicles thinking it will de-age them?” Sam asked.</p>
<p>“The very same, their hot springs are divine and are powered by the magma underneath the surface, making it a perfect vacation spot,” Tannis told them. Sam looked at Vaughn and opened his mouth before Tannis started to speak again.</p>
<p>“Hello…yes…no, no I’m fine…well must be those dastardly sunspots…try again in ten minutes they should have cleared up by then,” she said staring straight ahead at them.</p>
<p>“What the?” Sam wondered.</p>
<p>“Sorry about that, Lilith can’t get through on my ECHO and she’s getting worried, tell you what, let me give you my details and we’ll talk more when you’re at a safer distance, you two should go before Lilith phases in at any moment,” Tannis warned them as she transferred her contact details to Sam’s ECHO. Sam and Vaughn heeded her warning and went back to the car with their Claptrap. Eden-4, looks like they were going on vacation.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Vacation To Eden-4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Back in the car and heading to Roland’s Rest, Sam called up Troy on his Echo, Vaughn was hesitant about Troy being involved in this Valkyrie business but he had saved Sam’s life and there was a weird debt that needed to be repaid, by adventure or saving his life.</p><p>“You’re live with the God-King, what do you two Vault Nerds want?” Troy answered.</p><p>“Oh then I guess you don’t want to go to Eden-4 with two Vault Nerds and look for a fire based Vault then, you got your wish Vaughn, Troy doesn’t want to be a Vault Bro,” Sam said with a glance to Vaughn.</p><p>“Eden-4, the fancy-ass Spa place, oh I have a brilliant plan, I won’t be able to go alone with you two, Ty would ask questions but if I can convince her to do some Eridium Tier broadcasts from Eden-4, might give us legitimacy with some of those rich bitches, maybe get some generous donations,” Troy said his voice filling with excitement.</p><p>“Would be a good cover story, she gets to be treated like a literal God-Queen in this place, and they will if she tips well, we’ll be finding Vaults, when we’re done you come back here and no one’s the wiser, certainly not the Crimson Raiders,” Sam said.</p><p>“Do you have a vendetta against them, I figured you’d be all up in their ass trying to get into their good graces,” Troy commented.</p><p>“I told the leader to suck an egg after she contacted me about what I found in the vault, told her it was none of her business what I found, that no she couldn’t have what I found and to leave me alone, this was my treasure not hers,” Sam explained.</p><p>“Now he’s on Lilith’s list because of that,” Vaughn added on.</p><p>“Pfft, my sister would love you, alright we’re going to Eden-4 see you Vault Nerds there, God-King out!” Troy said and hung up the call. Sam glanced at Vaughn who was glaring at him.</p><p>“Again, asses getting haunted,” Vaughn reminded him.</p><hr/><p>They arrived back at Roland’s rest, ready to pack and figure out how to get a ride to Eden-4.</p><p>“I don’t know how we’re going to get there without a ship, we’ll need one with an astronav chip that can get us there fast, Twins must have one already, wait you’re also rich aren’t you, surely you have connections?” Vaughn asked Sam.</p><p>“I’m rich not powerful, but I do know who to call,” Sam said getting his ECHO open and pressing call. There was a brief moment of linking up until a hologram of Janey Springs showed up.</p><p>“Hey Kiddo, what’s up,” she said excited to see Sam was still alive.</p><p>“Hey, you made it to Promethea okay?” Sam asked her.</p><p>“Peachy, Atlas’s ships are the best out there, why need a favour?” Janey wondered.</p><p>“Sure thing, we need a ship to go to Eden-4, preferably one with an astronav chip and maybe autopilot, or we can hook our Claptrap up to be one,” Sam said to her. Janey thought for a moment, a pretty big request of him, then snapped her fingers.</p><p>“I can get it done but it’s gonna cost you big time, whenever you’re finished with Eden-4, bring the ship back to Promethea in one piece you got that, I’ll send the ship to your coordinates,” Janey told him. Sam nodded eagerly at the hologram and she hung up.</p><p>“Well we’re getting a ship, I have a feeling though that if we get even the paint job scratched, we’re toast,” Sam said to Vaughn who was packing a suitcase of just underwear.</p><p>“Alright looks like I’m all packed,” Vaughn said shutting the suitcase.</p><p>“You are aware that you cannot go to Eden-4 looking like that,” Sam told him. Vaughn laughed and waved off Sam’s comments.</p><p>“We’re paying customers they will have to let us in,” he said. Sam shook his head, something was going to happen when they reached the lobby of the Spa. He hoped Troy’s ploy would keep Tyreen occupied for this whole mission, if she got wind of his Valkyrie powers, she’d no doubt want to leech them off him, maybe. “Maybe they’ll have do dry-cleaning,” Vaughn wondered, snapping Sam out of his daydream.</p><p>“They would, this is Eden-4, they have everything there, the best coffee, dry-cleaning, they tailor your experience to you exactly using a personality analyser,” Sam said to him.</p><p>“How do you know so much about Eden-4?” Vaughn asked him as he spotted the ship coming into view.</p><p>“My mum used to work there before she got fired for getting pregnant, they might have made some changes in the years she wasn’t working there, but after I found the Vault of Silence and got my two mil, I forced those big wigs who owned it to take her back, she now oversees all the lobby staff,” Sam explained to him. The stories she would tell him always made him sad that she lost her job, he blamed his father for that.</p><p>“Did she resent you for losing her job?” Vaughn asked.</p><p>“Not me, dad, mum loves me, because I resemble her more,” Sam replied. The ship started to touch down and the doors opened up.</p><p>“Autopilot nice,” Vaughn commented, bounding along the ship with his suitcase. Sam followed, he got a look at the statue of Roland and gave it a respectful nod, dude must have been one hell of a hero, he thought to himself as he boarded the ship.</p><hr/><p>The ship was luxurious, too luxurious and Vaughn had been warned not to sit on anything by Sam because he would get it all filthy. He sent Troy a message with an image of the ship captioned: <em>Atlas</em> <em>VIP Bitch!</em> Prompting a crying emoji from Troy. The ship was on course for Eden-4 and it was going to be an interesting adventure, a Cult Leader, a Bandit and a Vault Hunter, Sam called his mum on the ship and she showed up on the holographic display.</p><p>“Sammy sweetie, what a surprise, I thought you were off adventuring,” she said when she answered.</p><p>“My adventure’s taking me to Eden-4, perfect time to say hi, I also found out something else,” Sam, said holding up the photo he had found of the Flynt family.</p><p>“Your father is a Flynt, and the saner of the three, have you spoken to him at all?” she asked him.</p><p>“Not yet, I’m planning to surprise him when I’m done with this adventure, how are things going?”</p><p>“Those Twins who lead that Megachurch are here and everyone is bending over backwards to meet them and make sure they’re happy, I spoke to the girl Tyreen and she gave me two grand to make sure there is always a drink in her hand, so I sent our drinks man Linus to cover that,” his mum said to him.</p><p>“Looks like they’re already there, we’ll be there soon, could you put down for a room reservation, I’m bring my new friend Vaughn, he’ll be the one who looks like a homeless man when we’re in the lobby,” Sam said to his mum as she started typing on something.</p><p>“Sure thing sweetie, when you get to the lobby, ask for me directly and I’ll sort you out, I have to go, Tyreen’s just finished the personality analyser, bye sweetie.”</p><p>“Bye mum,” Sam said as the hologram disappeared. “Well the Twins are already there, when we get there we start strategizing.”</p><p>“Alright,” Vaughn agreed. “Also would it be too much for me to get some spa treatments?”</p><p>“Nah, I think you getting some spa treatments might help you in your case,” Sam commented.</p><hr/><p>They touched on Eden-4 sometime later and arrived to a glistening paradise, tropical trees, hot springs and far in the distance a large volcano that was spewing lava. Sam had heard the stories from his mum but never had a chance to see it unitl now and it was beautiful.</p><p>“Have I died and gone to heaven?” Vaughn asked entranced by the shine of everything.</p><p>“Maybe, come on let’s head to the lobby,” Sam said. The Lobby was a large building for everyone to check in and employees to live. Behind that were three large build that were the hotels and further beyond the Spa itself. They approached the lobby and everyone turned to look at Vaughn walking through, whispering and pointing.</p><p>“Well, I think we’ve been spotted,” Vaughn commented as they approached the desk. The concierge at the desk grimaced at Vaughn and then glanced at Sam in his duster.</p><p>“I’m sorry everything is booked,” he said in a snooty tone.</p><p>“No it isn’t,” Sam said knowing this ploy.</p><p>“No it isn’t, how can I help you two vagabonds?” the concierge asked.</p><p>“My mum heads up this whole building, Mary-Anna,” Sam said showing a photo of him and his mother as proof to the concierge. He glanced at the photograph and at Sam.</p><p>“One moment,” he said and picked up a telephone. “Mary-Anna, a man here claiming to be your son is at the front desk accompanied by a…yes that’s right a homeless man…right away,” he said and put the telephone down. “She’ll be right over.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Love Match</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sam smiled as he saw his mother digitise into the lobby and hold out her arms to him, dressed in a crisp white pencil dress and her vibrant red hair tied up into a high bun, it was good to see her back in her element.</p><p>“Mum, so good to see you,” Sam said going to hug his mother. Mary-Anna chuckled and glanced at her baby boy.</p><p>“Oh you look so grown-up, and ever so handsome, now introduce me to your friend and I can get you a suite set-up,” she said as Sam gestured for Vaughn to come over, he sheepishly walked up, now very aware he was in his underwear.</p><p>“Hi, I’m Vaughn, I don’t believe in pants,” he said explaining away his fashion. Mary-Anna laughed and held out her hand.</p><p>"Charmed, Vaughn,” she said.</p><p>“Vaughn is in need of the ultra-deluxe package,” Sam suggested.</p><p>“Of course, now let’s set-up a suit and then get your friend ready for the personality analyser, you too sweetie,” Mary-Anna said as they went to the desk and she ushered the concierge away.</p><p>“Alright, now being that I have complete control here, I am booking you two into the Ultra-Luxe Handsome Jack Suite, it’s been empty since his death and no one wants to book it, you’ll love it sweetie, now that’s all booked in, the bell boys will take your suitcases to the room and your ship to the VIP Valet Parking garage, hand over the keys and suitcases and we’ll get you started on the personality analyser,” Mary-Anna said. Sam handed the ship keys over to a Valet as Vaughn handed his suitcase over to a bell boy.</p><p>“Alright, follow me gentlemen,” Mary-Anna said putting on her formal voice and gesturing them to follow her.</p><hr/><p>Sam and Vaughn followed Mary-Anna into a large white room with a neural scanner helmet attached to a large computer and chair.</p><p>“Alright sweetie you first, would you like to have the Love Match add-on?” she asked him.</p><p>“Not for me, what about you Vaughn, fancy meeting your dream match here?” Sam asked him.</p><p>“You can do that?” Vaughn asked in surprise.</p><p>“Of course, as we analyse your personality, we also take into account your chemical and biological attractions and match it to registered guests, depending on a match of seventy-five percent or higher you get booked into a special Couples First Date Session where you both go into a private bath to meet and get to know each other,” she explained to them.</p><p>“I’ll take it,” Vaughn said excitedly, a chance to meet his dream woman, who wouldn’t want that? Mary-Anna started up the personality analyser on Sam and it quickly scanned him. When it was Vaughn’s turn the scanner was slower taking into account the Love Match add-on. Once completed, a Spa Schedule was created.</p><p>“Okay Vaughn, your Couples First Date is in two hours in the Eros Wing of the Spa, your first appointments are a haircut and a thorough cleansing,” Mary-Anna told Vaughn giving him his list. “You’ll be surprised at your match ninety-five percent compatibility, as for you Sam, you said you’re adventuring so I left all your appointments open, you do have a private bath booked should you want it.”</p><p>“Thank mum, alright Vaughn I’m off to our suite, have fun on your cleansing and First Date,” Sam said.</p><p>“I’ll see you later bro,” Vaughn said as he started to follow Mary-Anna. Sam looked at the key to their suit left the room to find their suite.</p><hr/><p>The Ultra-Luxe Handsome Jack Suite was incredible to Sam as he entered the room. Five bedrooms all with their own en-suites, plus a spare bathroom, an in-floor built hot tub and a 90-inch Flat screen on the wall. Just off to the side was a fancy kitchen and living area.</p><p>“Holy shit!” Sam said as he stared at the room, he stared at the hot tub, glanced around, no one was here and then immediately stripped off his clothes and got in. He turned on the tub feeling warm bubbles massaging him and he sank into the water, feeling so relaxed. His ECHO sat on the floor next to the Hot Tub and he had half a mind to call up Troy.</p><p>“Ah what could it hurt?” he asked himself and pressed call. A hologram of Troy appeared, seeming to be lying down on his front.</p><p>“Valkyrie, to what do I owe the pleasure, still pissed you got that sweet Atlas ship,” he answered.</p><p>“I’m currently in the hot tub in the Ultra-Luxe Handsome Jack Suite, where are you?” he asked him.</p><p>“In the middle of one of those hot stone massages, apparently it’ll help relax my spine or whatever, where’s your Nerd Bro?”</p><p>“Getting ready for his First Date, he got a ninety-five percent match with someone here,” Sam said.</p><p>“Weird, who could he have matched with, anyway, when will you be starting Vault Hunting?” Troy asked him.</p><p>“Not sure, where could a fire vault be, the obvious answer feels like the volcano but that’s way too easy,” Sam said. “Besides, there’s so much like forest and wildlife around the Spa I’d probably die from getting eaten by something before I found it.”</p><p>“And that’s why you need me, my sister is going to be busy all day with her Spa List, let’s meet in one of Baths and talk about a plan maybe,” Troy suggested.</p><p>“Alright then, I have a private bath booked at three, meet me there and we’ll talk,” Sam said and ended the call. A second meeting with Troy and this time they’d be alone, Sam wondered if it would be smart or even a good thing, Troy had been strange with him, a salacious selfie, regular calling to talk about Vaults and nothing else, one would have thought Troy liked him…did he?</p><p>“Does he like me?” Sam asked himself, no way, Troy was too good for him, he had the personality that had girls swooning over him, making inappropriate comments about having his babies and the like he wouldn’t like a scrappy little Vault Nerd like him would he?</p><hr/><p>In the Eros Wing, Tyreen dressed in a purple two piece bikini, causing glances from several guests of the Spa who had never seen the God-Queen in such an attire before, approached the private bath for her scheduled First Date, a ninety-five percent match with a new guest that had arrived shortly after her was a nice surprise. She couldn’t help but wonder who this mystery date was, rich, handsome, a Handsome Jack clone? She pushed the door open to see the bath was already prepared, a bottle of champagne on ice in a gold bucket, rose petals everywhere and hot steam filled the room as she saw the outline of someone sitting already in the bath.</p><p>“This is it,” she whispered to herself. Carefully and confidently, she approached the bath and walked down the steps into the hot water.</p><p>“Well hello ha- HOLY FUCKING MOTHER OF WHAT FRESH HELL?” she screamed as she saw a clean-shaven Vaughn sitting there in the bath.</p><p>“Tyreen Calypso!” Vaughn shouted in surprise. “What are you doing here, I’m meeting my ninety-five percent match here.”</p><p>“No I’m meeting my ninety-five per cent match here they’re-…oh no, no, no, no, no, no,” Tyreen said as she put the pieces together. “You’re my ninety-five percent?” That was impossible, Vaughn was an idiot, twelve clans in five years he was an accountant for Godsake!</p><p>“I shaved and changed my underwear for this?” Vaughn said standing up. He was wearing a white pair of swim shorts, a poor choice of fashion, that were now going see through. Tyreen cringed at him before she noticed his abs and what was starting to show through his shorts.</p><p>“I mean…” she began starting to blush. “We don’t have to leave now, this is all paid up for two hours and we can just sit far apart from each other.” Why did she want to touch the abs, it was Vaughn, he was shorter than her!</p><p>“Are...are you sure?” Vaughn asked her slowly sinking back into the water.</p><p>“Sure…sure, we can just…talk…or sit in silence,” Tyreen said slowly sitting down in the bath as well. “Tell me about yourself,” she asked him trying to be polite but also feeling her face flush knowing that it was Vaughn, even if he had ditched the scruffy beard for a stylish one and his hair was short and it wasn’t light brown anymore but a deep chestnut brown. Oh dear god, Tyreen thought to herself, she found Vaughn attractive.</p><p>“You like Vaults right, I found the Vault of the Traveller,” he said to her.</p><p>“You found a Vault?” she asked him not believing it, she knew Vault Hunters and he did not match the description.</p><p>“Well, me and some friends did, you know Rhys, CEO of Atlas, we used to be best friends way back when we worked on the Helios Space Station, I was in accounting he was in some other department, anyway we found out that Vasquez who used to be head of Helios at the time, was bidding for a Vault Key and so we stole his car and took it down to Pandora to go to the meet,” Vaughn began.</p><p>“You stole a car?” Tyreen was intrigued that the story started off with a car being stolen.</p><p>“Oh yes it was a nice car too, black and gold, anyway we get down there and people already hate us because we’re Hyperion,” Vaughn continued.  Tyreen leaned back as she snapped her fingers as Linus digitised into the bath and started to pour a glass of champagne for her. She watched Vaughn tell her this tale, listening with intrigue. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad after all, she thought.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Too Close</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sam arrived near the Eros Wing where the private baths were and waited for Troy, he had ditched the duster for a pair of black swim shorts gifted by the spa. Everyone was walking around and he could sense they were all rich in some capacity, several glanced his way wondering how he got into the Spa as he didn’t look like he belonged. Even if his mum was part of the establishment. He saw Troy approaching, boy was tall, dressed in a black vest and knee length shorts, and everyone seemed to be walking out of his way, the only question had was, where was his prosthetic arm?</p>
<p>“What’s up Nerd Bro?” Troy asked with a smile to him.</p>
<p>“Where’s your uh…other appendage?” Sam asked glancing at the lack of a right arm.</p>
<p>“Getting fixed, I asked for specific upgrades so they better deliver, I never knew what being rich felt like until I got here, everyone wants to make you happy, it’s weird, I like it,” Troy told him. “Where to then?”</p>
<p>“My bath’s this way, I’m hoping Vaughn is having fun on his First Date, means he’ll be preoccupied for a while,” Sam said and they walked down to the private baths and Sam got out the key to the room booked for him. He entered the room, it was all prepared with like four kinds of towels all laid on in different colours with an attached steam room. He walked over to the bath and stepped down into it, placing his ECHO next to the bath. He glanced back at Troy, who was staring at him, head slightly tilted, mouth slightly agape.</p>
<p>“You joining or what?” Sam asked. Troy seemed to snap back and ripped his vest off and walked over.</p>
<p>“Sure thing, now first question I have, what do you know about these Vaults you’re after?” Sam leaned back, Tannis had given him a lot of information but had been radio silent for a few hours now.</p>
<p>“There’s four of them, I’ve found two, third one should be here which will lead to the fourth one, I’m also a Valkyrie King because I accepted the mantle and now I have to find all the powers and be a true Valkyrie King,” Sam explained.</p>
<p>“That was an incredibly boring explanation,” Troy said leaning back in the water, tilting his head back.</p>
<p>“Yeah but Tannis explained it better, she’s also a Typhon DeLeon fan, but she seems a bit more extreme about, I saw like three posters at her site alone,” Sam added on. Troy looked at Sam unimpressed.</p>
<p>“Boring, come on Valkyrie, you gotta have more, you’re trying to be some great adventuring hero right, let’s discuss danger, dramatics, where is the vault and how many death defying traps can we avoid?” he asked Sam. Sam shrugged.</p>
<p>“Half of adventuring is boring, you gotta get through that until you find excitement, but Tannis hasn’t gotten to me in several hours, so I’m kind of stuck until she can give me any hints or coordinates,” Sam said. “That’s the problem I guess, everyone else is just slow with help, but seeing as we’re here, may as well enjoy the company, I’m sure Vaughn’s having the time of his life right now.” Troy grinned at the notion and moved over to Sam getting in close.</p>
<p>“So let’s get intimate then, tell me something interesting about you?” he asked. Sam could feel his heart panic for a moment, Troy was incredibly close to him, way too close.</p>
<p>“I’m a…uh…I’m a Flynt,” he said, feeling his cheeks starting to burn. Troy laughed and moved away slightly.</p>
<p>“A Flynt, you’re a Pandoran and yet you don’t sound like one at all,” he said.</p>
<p>“Well yeah, I was born in the Outer Planets, where we all have weird accents, mum had to move out there after she lost her job here originally, never saw my dad much, he kinda sucks, would always lie about being a Flynt to my face, that’s also why I was in Southern Shelf, I got a proof he brought me there as a baby to meet his brothers and my cousin...shame they’re all dead,” Sam said. Troy sighed.</p>
<p>“Yeah dads suck sometimes, my dad, he never wanted us to leave, ‘you too frail boy, you’re gonna do what schlep all the way out into the galaxy and get eaten by a monster’,” Troy said mimicking a strong accent that Sam had only vaguely heard before but couldn’t place. “Dad had me and Ty locked in a cage for fifteen years, after a while you get bored of it, and we’ve spent the last ten years trying to be better, trying to find more, a better family, fame, glory, and now here we are…I do miss him though,” Troy sounded sad, Sam moved closer to him, reaching out his hand and placing it on his shoulder.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, sounded like your dad loved you though,” he said.</p>
<p>“He thought I was a freak, I mean he had to pry me off my sister and I have no arm to show for it, not that I ever got one in the first place.” Sam couldn’t believe it, this Troy was nothing like the cocky bubbly Troy from the streams or who saved his life this one was vulnerable. He moved his arm around Troy’s back coming to rest on his shoulder. Troy turned to Sam, Sam could see his eyes were a bright blue, shining slightly under the lighting of the room. A strange notion filled his chest, and he moved in closer.</p>
<p>“I don’t think you’re a freak,” he said. There was a brief pause as Troy leaned forward and kissed him. Sam felt his heart full on slam against his ribcage in response, the God-King kissing him and it was good. He sank into the kiss, wrapping both arms around Troy and climbing into his lap. He loved the feeling, the warmth of the water, Troy’s warm body heat against him, his lips, he ran a hand through Troy’s messed up hair wanting to pull him closer than he already was, he broke back for air, taking a deep breath as he glanced down at the God-King’s dazed expression. That was also a lot of tongue.</p>
<p>“Wow that was…uh…I don’t know,” Sam said his mind going blank as words all lost meaning. He stayed staring at the Siren for a moment before his ECHO started to beep. He leaned over Troy and saw it was a holographic call from Tannis. He picked up the ECHO, still sitting in Troy’s lap and pressed answer as a hologram of Tannis showed up.</p>
<p>“Sam, I – oh I’m not disturbing you am I…is that Troy Calypso?” she asked turning her holographic head to him.</p>
<p>“No, it’s…yeah it is, I’ll explain later, what do you have for me?” he said climbing off Troy so he was out of frame.</p>
<p>“Are you sure we should be discussing this front of him?” Tannis asked him.</p>
<p>“He knows about the Valkyrie thing but Tyreen doesn’t, so we’re good, what did you find?” Sam asked her.</p>
<p>“Well I looked into the rest of the notes after Lilith’s little interrogation, and I pin pointed the vault’s location down to a small part of the forest around the Spa called Mehron’s Clearing, I’m sending you the coordinates now. On another worrying note, Lilith does know you’re here on Eden-4 but she doesn’t know why, she went to Roland’s Rest to find Vaughn but he wasn’t there, she asked me and I might have let slip he was with you on Eden-4, she’s not happy, so best avoid Pandora, we’re trying to get our ship ready to go to Promethea,” Tannis explained.</p>
<p>“I’ll be heading to Promethea soon anyway after I find the Fire Vault, gotta return the ride I got here, uh, I’ll get back to you when we’ve found the Vault, alright,” Sam said.</p>
<p>“Of course and be careful,” Tannis said and hung up. He turned back to Troy who was sitting on the edge of the bath with his legs in the water still.</p>
<p>“So Mehron’s Clearing, we should probably prepare, can’t exactly go into the tropics one-armed,” Troy said.</p>
<p>“Yeah, tell you what come to my suite when you’re ready, I need to find Vaughn and let him know what’s going on,” Sam said and started to leave the bath. He could still feel the kiss lingering on his lips as he glanced back at Troy. “We can uh, resume this later,” he said and left the bath.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Sam returned to his suite, according to Vaughn’s schedule his First Date should have finished by now and they were free for the rest of the day. He picked up his clothes that were still by the tub and started to change when he heard giggling. He paused, leg halfway into his trousers and stopped to listen. Nothing. He put the rest of his trousers on when he heard the girlish giggle again. Was Vaughn back with his date? Not wanting to be heard, he looked for where the laughing was coming from and then heard voices.</p>
<p>“Grr, I’m the Destroyer, I’m coming to get you, grrr,” he heard Vaughn say which was met with more laughing. “Careful, or I’m gonna get you, gonna put my tentacle hands all over you.” Suddenly one of the bedroom doors burst open as Tyreen ran out wearing an over-sized t-shirt followed by Vaughn. He grabbed Tyreen, tackling her to the shag carpet, causing more laughter and then kissed her. Sam stared at the display before he dropped his ECHO from his hand. They stopped and looked to see him staring at them, mouth open in shock, eyes wide.</p>
<p>“Sam, you’re back!” Vaughn cried scrambling to his feet. Tyreen got her feet, smoothing down the t-shirt and trying maintain her God-Queen composure.</p>
<p>“So…the First Date went well then,” was all he could muster, feeling bubbles of laughter brewing. Vaughn and Tyreen glanced at each other and at Sam before he burst out laughing at the both of them.</p>
<p>“Ninety-five percent match, oh my Gods this is amazing!” he said losing all composure and dropping to his knees in hysterics. Tyreen rolled her eyes at Sam on the floor laughing and turned back to Vaughn.</p>
<p>“I’m getting dressed, I have to find my dork of a brother so we can livestream,” she said and went back into the bedroom. Sam stopped laughing, composed himself and stood back up.</p>
<p>“Seriously, Tyreen Calypso, I thought you hated her because she stole all your people, what are you doing playing Hide the Tentacle?” Sam asked him.</p>
<p>“Look, I was shocked, but then I started telling her about the Traveller Vault story, we got to talking, it got comfortable, the next thing I know she’s riding me like it’s the end of the universe and I’m getting laid for the first time in five years, and you’re one to talk, I saw you and Troy go into a private room together, just as we were leaving ours,” Vaughn explained to him.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but I only ended up making out with him, I wasn’t about to go and plough him like a field now,” Sam argued back. “Look it doesn’t matter where we’re sticking our dicks, Tannis got me the location of the Vault, so we have to go and we need to do this quick because Lilith knows we’re here.”</p>
<p>“Shit, does she know why?” Vaughn asked.</p>
<p>“No, but they’re heading to Promethea next, so we need to be fast,” Sam said as he saw Tyreen exit the bedroom, fully dressed in her regular getup.</p>
<p>“Time to go find my brother, see you Super Sam…Destroyer,” she said with a wink to Vaughn and left the suite. Vaughn grinned at the door as it closed and Sam shook his head in disbelief.</p>
<p>“We really are a couple of idiots,” he muttered to himself.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Vault Of Flames</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Vaughn and Sam were ready to go into the Vault, they hit a problem, Troy had to broadcast and couldn’t get away.</p>
<p>“We don’t need him anyway,” Vaughn said when Sam looked at the message.</p>
<p>“Maybe he’ll try and join us by the time we get there, we still have to find it, I’ll just keep him posted for now,” Sam said as they got into the lift and pressed for the ground floor. Sam had his ECHO open watching the livestream, Tyreen was livelier than usual and wasn’t ordering as much killing as she normally did and the odd part was the smile on her face, she never smiled, she always tried to look intimidating.</p>
<p>“Vaughn I think you broke Tyreen,” Sam said showing him the livestream.</p>
<p>“Well fam we are just loving it here at the Eden-4 Hot Springs and Spa, we’re even giving them free publicity and in return, I’m getting treated like a God-Queen, we’ll be showing highlights and best-of’s and counting down our Top Five Bandit Failures from Vaughn of the former Sun Smashers which will then go into a Top Ten Vaughn moments from our Pandora Cameras that we have all across wastes,” Tyreen said as she sat on the couch in her suite.</p>
<p>“I like her better this way,” Vaughn said as he glanced at the stream which was playing highlights of some previous streams. Sam shuddered at the concept, at what he had seen which was Vaughn of top of Tyreen.</p>
<p>“I hope for your sake it was a one-time thing,” Sam said.</p>
<p>“We’re ninety-five percent compatible, you can’t just ignore chemistry like that,” Vaughn said as the doors opened on the ground floor.</p>
<p>“I can, come on let’s start looking for this Vault, I like this place but I always feel like people are judging us,” Sam said. Vaughn agreed and they headed further into the Spa to an exit that led into the tropics.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The tropics were hot and muggy compared to the air-conditioned Spa which felt like a cool summer day. Sam could feel himself sweating through his duster and started to pull it off.</p>
<p>“I am not sweating through this, I paid good money for it,” he said and took off the duster and tied it around his waist.</p>
<p>“Well, nothing’s killing us yet, you think Troy will join us?” Vaughn wondered as they walked through the muggy environment. Sam shrugged, but he hoped Troy would turn up and that maybe they could finish what they started in the spa, before he got the call from Tannis he knew he felt something inside of Troy’s shorts waking up. “Can I ask you a question, Bro to Bro?”</p>
<p>“Sure, what’s it about?” Sam asked having a guess what it could be.</p>
<p>“Why are you attracted to Troy, to me it doesn’t make sense, now I wasn’t attracted to Tyreen but after we got to know each other more, she’s actually not so bad, bloodthirsty and craves attention but she’s nice enough, she was to me at least,” Vaughn said to him.</p>
<p>“I can’t explain it, I just am, it’s like…like a gravitational pull, you can’t escape it,” Sam said trying to put into words. He remember the first time he saw Troy when he stumbled across their streams and he was just captivated.</p>
<p>“Gravitational eh,” Vaughn said. Sam nodded and they continued walking through the thicket of plants and trees. They could hear the rumbling of the volcano in the distance as they came closer to Tannis’s coordinates. Let’s hope she was right. As they entered into a large clearing, it was more akin to an Oasis than a regular clearing in a forest, rock pools, a flowing waterfall tumbling from a rock formation and hot springs bubbling and occasionally erupting a spring of fresh water. Sam set off his pocket drone and called up Tannis, setting up the picture.</p>
<p>“Tannis are you seeing this?” he asked as soon as he heard her answer.</p>
<p>“I do, how extraordinary, now according to my research, there should a statue nearby of the famed Mehron and his lover, apparently this was quite the love nest according to Eden-4 history,” Tannis explained. Sam looked around and saw a large statue of a man enveloped in a kiss with a woman, his hand gripping onto her thigh, lifting it up. He sort of wanted Troy to do that to him.</p>
<p>“Can’t miss it,” Sam said as the drone flew up around the statue.</p>
<p>“Excellent now there should be a staircase under the statue but to access it you need to move it and to do that you need to, oh where is that note,” Tannis said shuffling papers around. Sam observed the drone’s footage but he couldn’t see anything.</p>
<p>“Vaughn, go up to the statue and see if you can see anything,” he said to him. Vaughn obliged heading up to the statue and seeing a small plaque with Eridian writing.</p>
<p>“I found something,” he said placing his hand on the statue base. Suddenly there was a shift as suddenly the statue started to move revealing the staircase beneath. Confused Sam sent his drone over the plaque.</p>
<p>“Tannis how did Vaughn move the statue?” he asked confused as he approached the stairs himself. Tannis started reading the plaque and deciphering it.</p>
<p>“Ah I see what it means ‘The Fire of the Loins will reveal the way’ if I am to understand this correctly, the statue felt sexual energy surrounding Vaughn and thus revealed the stairs,” she said to him. Sam glanced at Vaughn who sheepishly grinned and shrugged. Sam laughed and gestured for him and the drone to follow.</p>
<p>“Alright, then let’s find these Wings,” he said as they descended the stairs.</p>
<p>“You know this is all very fascinating, an Eridian warrior separating their powers to wait for a chosen champion, all very exciting,” Tannis said on the ECHO as they descended the stairs.</p>
<p>“Indeed, I was expecting treasures not powers honestly, but what did the exploding Eridian Crystal have to do with the Valkyrie?” Sam asked Tannis.</p>
<p>“Oh they put that in there as a helpful tool to lead you to the other Vaults, and you sold it to Mr. Torgue,” she answered. No doubt Lilith would have heard of that news. They reached the bottom of the stairs and saw an opening into a large chamber filled with shooting flames and bubbling magma.</p>
<p>“I think we found it,” Sam said as he saw a pedestal in the center of the chamber with a winged helmet on. “It’s a helmet this time.”</p>
<p>“Let me get a better visual of the murals,” Tannis said. Sam sent the drone to fly around the chamber so Tannis could get a better looked he approached the pedestal. He picked up the helmet observing it.</p>
<p>“Well put it on, let’s see what happens,” Vaughn said. Sam placed the helmet on his head, feeling a burning feeling radiate through his body. He staggered back into the center of the chamber, dropping to the ground, as two large fire-like wings erupted from his back and the helmet slowly dissolved. He stood up and felt fire in his hands and produced two flames. Vaughn stared in shock as Sam stood there, flaming wings and fire in his hands.</p>
<p>“Oh amazing, can you still produce ice?” he said. Sam flexed his hands as the fire froze over into ice power and nodded, his wings starting to turn white.</p>
<p>“Yes, I can,” he said. Vaughn then had another thought.</p>
<p>“Take off your shirt, let me see your back,” Vaughn said. Sam obliged, finding it an odd request and removed his duster and t-shirt dropping them on the ground. Vaughn and the drone observed Sam as they both saw more pearlescent tattoos on his back in the shape of wings.</p>
<p>“The tattoos have grown, you have gained the Wings of Fire and can now fly, give the drone another round so I can get more information and I’ll update you on the final vault,” Tannis said. Sam sent the drone around as he picked his shirt and put it back on and his duster.</p>
<p>“Shame Troy couldn’t be here t-,” Sam began before a blast knocked him and Vaughn back. He looked up to see Lilith, standing there in the center of the chamber.</p>
<p>“Hello…Sam,” she said in a vicious tone glaring at him. Quickly Sam got to his feet, activating the wings and ice powers, holding up his arms in defence.</p>
<p>“What do you want Lilith, this doesn’t concern you,” he said to her.</p>
<p>“Oh it does, very much,” she said suddenly flying towards him. He threw up an ice-shield just as another blast shook the chamber and Sam was pushed to the ground, he looked to see Troy, clutching onto him.</p>
<p>“Troy, you’re here! Sam said in shock.</p>
<p>“I got a bad feeling,” he said pulling him up to his feet.</p>
<p>“Troy Calypso…you’re a Siren?” Lilith said in shock seeing the red tattoos glowing along his arm.</p>
<p>“And you’re messing with my man!” Troy said as he pulled out his pistol and started to fire at her.</p>
<p>“Vaughn, take the drone and get back to the hotel!” Sam cried as he jumped in front of Troy and threw up a wall of fire to block Lilith. Vaughn grabbed the drone as it flew near him and started to hightail it up the stairs.</p>
<p>“So you chose to side with them after all,” Lilith said, her suspicions confirmed, he was an enemy.</p>
<p>“I didn’t side with anyone, he just happened to save my life,” Sam said as he grabbed Troy’s waist and pulled him close. “And now we’re leaving!” he cried. There was a blast of red energy as Lilith shielded herself and saw Troy and Sam had disappeared.</p>
<p>“God dammit!” she cried and vanished from the chamber.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Leaving Eden-4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sam looked around as they found themselves in the hotel suite in the Spa that Tyreen and Troy were staying in. Troy was lying on the ground breathing heavily, weak from using his powers.</p>
<p>“That was too much…for me,” he said trying to take deep breaths. Sam hoped Vaughn was fairing in the tropics with his drone and helped Troy up onto the couch.</p>
<p>“Are you alright, what is that you do?” he asked him.</p>
<p>“Phasewalking, but it’s…hard to manage because it takes so much…I need some Eridium,” Troy said feeling a sharp pain in his chest. “Box over there,” he said pointing to a crate of Eridium bars. Sam went to the box, grabbing a few bars and bringing them back to him.</p>
<p>“How does this work exactly, do you eat them like candy bars?” Sam wondered. Troy laughed, but it was haggard and pained. Sam placed the bar in Troy’s hand as it slowly started to dissolve into him.</p>
<p>“I just need to absorb the power and I’ll be good,” he said breathing in deep and relaxing. Sam sighed and hugged Troy tight.</p>
<p>“You saved me again,” he said, not wanting to let go. He felt Troy embrace his hug, holding onto him and resting his head on his shoulder.</p>
<p>“I got a bad feeling in my gut, same with Southern Shelf, I got this weird feeling and just used the power and it brought me right to you,” he said to Sam. Sam moved and rested his forehead on Troy’s. He kissed Troy softly, bring his hand to his face and caressing his cheek.</p>
<p>“Almost like gravity, can’t escape it,” he whispered. “Now that the Raiders know what I’m doing, I’m in danger, they’ll stop at nothing to stop me becoming the Valkyrie, I don’t know why.”</p>
<p>“You didn’t let them in, so you’re an enemy, simple, we refused as well,” Troy told him, as he finished absorbing the Eridium bar. He picked up another as Sam sat back on the couch and Troy leaned forward.</p>
<p>“People like Lilith are dangerous, she thinks she knows you better than you know yourself and will try to control you,” he said to Sam. “Dad was the same, tried to control what me and Ty could or could not do and we left as soon as I realised that the ship just need simple repairs.” Sam got onto his ECH and called Vaughn.</p>
<p>“Vaughn, you still alive Bro?” he asked.</p>
<p>“I’m alive, just…so many monsters, I just got back to the Spa, where are you?” Vaughn answered.</p>
<p>“Golden Stag Penthouse, I don’t know where Tyreen is,” he said.</p>
<p>“I think I see her, Tyreen!” Vaughn cried on the ECHO. “Ty, God-Queen!”</p>
<p>“Meet us at the lobby, we gotta check out, I think the Raiders are here on Eden-4,” Sam said and cut the call. “You okay to move Troy?”</p>
<p>“We need to pack the Eridium mostly, grab my bag and start packing it, I need to grab some things,” he said standing up and heading into one of the rooms. Sam saw a large and worn backpack with patches sewn all over and grabbed it, packing all the Eridium into the bag and zipping it up. He saw Troy re-emerge from the bedroom holding a photo frame and an echo log, as well as his sister’s backpack.</p>
<p>“I can’t lose these, alright, give me the bag and we’ll get going, she found you at that Fire Vault, she’ll find us here,” he said. Sam nodded, handing over the bag and called up Mary-Anna on his ECHO.</p>
<p>“Hey mum, Vaughn and I are checking out, something’s come up,” he said heading for the door, Troy following behind.</p>
<p>“You’ve only been here a few hours sweetie, what’s going on?” she asked him worriedly.</p>
<p>“Some people are after me, they might already be at the Spa, I need you to check us and the Calypso twins out, I’ll get the bill sorted on our ship,” Sam said and hung up the call.</p>
<p>“Your mother works here?” Troy asked as they left the suite and headed for the lift.</p>
<p>“Yeah, it’s how I got the Handsome Jack Suite, I hope Vaughn and Tyreen are okay, if Lilith gets to them, well Vaughn has no defence and I don’t know if the Spa will appreciate your sister tearing up the place,” Sam said to him. Tannis didn’t betray him did she and lead Lilith to him?</p><hr/>
<p>In the lobby, Sam spotted Vaughn and Tyreen at the front desk chatting with Mary-Anna as he and Troy headed up to them.</p>
<p>“Bro, God-Queen, mum, how are we doing on our ship?” he asked them. Tyreen smiled at the God-Queen comment and glanced at Vaughn and slyly winked.</p>
<p>“Ship’s all set to go, your keys are on the way, I’ve been informed that a ship known as Sanctuary Three is currently outside our airspace, sweetie, you need to be honest, what trouble are you in?” she asked him.</p>
<p>“Hopefully not enough, but I have to make sure the Twin Gods here are gone before the Crimson Raiders get here,” he told her.</p>
<p>“Say no more sweetie, your keys are here, get to your ship and leave fast, if these people reach the lobby, I’ll just put on my ‘I’m the Manager’ voice,” Mary-Anna said, as a Valet approached with the keys.</p>
<p>“You need to teach me that, could be useful,” Tyreen commented.</p>
<p>“Alright, love you mum,” Sam said leaning over the counter and giving her a hug before they all started to follow the valet to their ship in the garage. Suddenly the sound of panicked voices were heard as people started to run inside.</p>
<p>“Looks like the raiders found us,” Vaughn commented. Tyreen growled and felt the urge to fight within her hands.</p>
<p>“I’ll stop them,” she said before Troy grabbed her arm.</p>
<p>“No, we have no one here to defend us, let’s get to the ship,” he told her. Tyreen sighed and rolled her eyes, stupid brother had a point, she thought as they all started to run towards the parking garage.</p><hr/>
<p>The VIP parking garage had exactly six ships, and the Twins’ ship was sitting looking more out of character amongst the other sleek ships.</p>
<p>“We’ll take our ship,” Sam said as he pressed a button on the key to lower the steps to the ship. Once inside, Sam knew they would need a good driver to get them out.</p>
<p>“Alright who knows how to fly here, we got here on Autopilot and we need a quick getaway,” Sam said to them as he approached the console.</p>
<p>“Move it, dad taught me how to fly using the broken controls of our old ship, now it might cause some damage but I’ll get us out,” Tyreen said heading to the Captain’s chair.</p>
<p>"Oh no, we need to get this back to Promethea in one-piece or Janey will kill us,” Vaughn said to her. Tyreen ignored him, turning everyone on and getting the ship into flight mode.</p>
<p>“As the only person who knows how to fly, I need everyone to sit their asses down and shut up, I need total concentration,” she snapped at them all. Everyone grabbed a seat as Tyreen closed her eyes to narrow her focus and then started to fly the ship. The doors of the garage started to open as the ship started to fly towards them. Sam got onto his ECHO just as he started to hear a voice in his head.</p>
<p>“Sam, don’t be alarmed but it’s me Tannis, I am learning a new technique of long-range communication and I need you to listen to me. I did not tell Lilith that you’re after the Valkyrie Vaults, she caught me on call with you and saw you put the helmet on, I have to lay low for a while but I’ll be continuing my research in secret, I shall contact you this way from now on,” he heard Tannis tell him.</p>
<p>“Shit!” Sam said.</p>
<p>“What?” Vaughn asked him.</p>
<p>“Lilith saw Tannis on our call in the Vault, we’re in trouble we have to get to Promethea, if I’m right they were heading there anyway to look for a Vault,” Sam said.</p>
<p>“Good thing we have that Map right Troy,” Tyreen said as she started to dodge shots from the Sanctuary Three that was starting to fire on them. “We were planning to head there after the Sun Smashers gave us the map, we’re going to be busy Vault Hunting, what Vaults are you after then Sam?” Sam sighed, time to unleash a barrel of hell.</p>
<p>“I’ll tell you but when we’re out of harm’s way, it’ll explain a lot of things,” Sam said. Tyreen held to him to that as she picked up speed and flew them out of the ships range and activated light speed. The ships then sped through space only coming to a close on a moon close to Promethea where she set the ship into autopilot</p>
<p>“We’re safe for now, alright Sam, you turn up on Pandora looking for adventure, you get rescued by my brother and now you two are noticeably thick as thieves, spill,” she ordered to him as she put the ship on autopilot for a slow descent to Promethea. Sam sighed, glancing at Vaughn and Troy who knew what was coming.</p>
<p>“Alright Tyreen, looks like the four of us are going to be Vault Hunting together while your followers throw money at you from the comfort of their bandit holds, so full disclosure, no secrets. Tyreen, I made out with your brother, he saved my life twice, I think he’s hot, and I’ve got powers from an ancient Eridian Warrior called a Valkyrie, I have two of the three needed to be Valkyrie King, we need each other right now because the Raiders sure as hell aren’t going to us breathing room to explain ourselves, our next goal is to get to this ship back to Janey Springs and find this Promethean Vault and for the sake of full disclosure Tyreen, why do you want to find the Vaults?” he said to her.</p>
<p>“I’m finishing dad’s adventure, old guy never found the Great Vault so I’m finding it for him, he keeps us trapped on that lonely-ass planet for fifteen years because his true adventure was making a family, and what did he get out of it, isolation, hiding from crazy Eridian Vault Guardians, our mum dying because we couldn’t get medicine for her, she asked me to give her a peaceful death, and being told ‘no starlight I don’t want you finding the Great Vault, it’ll destroy you’ well screw you dad, I want a life too!” Tyreen said her voice raising from calm to hysterical. Sam stared at her in surprise.</p>
<p>“Alright, anything else?” he asked her.</p>
<p>“I’m also planning to leech whatever monsters are in them, we Phaseleech those things, they never resurrect, never having to be fought again, we use that power to destroy the monster beneath Pandora,” she told him.</p>
<p>“Monster?” Vaughn asked confused.</p>
<p>“The Destroyer, it can only be destroyed this way, it never dies, Lilith thinks she killed it, she never did, dad told us a horror story when we were kids, a monster eating away the universe, locked in a prison sealed by the souls of an entire civilisation, planning to eat every star until there is nothing left, I don’t want to live in a universe with something that terrifying…I learned that I have the power to stop it, and so I shall,” Tyreen said, her eyes lowering as she looked out at the galaxy. The ship was silent, Vaughn sank back into his chair in awe at her story. Troy had his head lowered, remembering the story and the nightmares he had of that monster. Sam sighed and walked to Tyreen, placing his hand on her shoulder.</p>
<p>“I’ll help you get those Vaults open, help me become the Valkyrie-King and I’ll help you save the goddamn universe.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. A Hostile Takeover</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Promethea was looking quiet as they approached the planet and Sam got on the ECHO to Janey, warning her that Tyreen and Troy were with him.</p>
<p>“Alright we’re here, where shall we park the ship?” he asked her.</p>
<p>“Bring it to Atlas HQ, I’ll meet you there with Rhys,” she answered before hanging up. Vaughn was excited, a chance to catch up with his Best Bro and tell his tales of adventure. Troy was excited to be in Promethea, he’d wanted for years to visit the planet and go to the Halcyon Nights radio station and maybe get a chance to DJ for an hour or two. Sam had never seen Promethea at all but all he had heard made it sound exciting.</p>
<p>“Can you believe dad found a Vault here?” Tyreen asked Troy as she flew the ship down to Atlas Headquarters.</p>
<p>“Kind of, but it wasn’t like this when he was here, he’d probably be fascinated though, I know you blame him a lot for being kind of a shit dad in some areas but he did let us go when we told him we were leaving,” Troy told her as he leaned on her chair.</p>
<p>“He did…I just wished he had the decency to call every once in a while, an update, a Happy Birthday, he’s all alone out there,” she said realising that yes, while she resented him for being overprotective, he did raise them all alone for thirteen years. Just once, she wanted to hear him call her ‘starlight’ again.</p>
<hr/>
<p>As the ship touched down on the landing pad at Atlas HQ, the ship stairs lowered as the four of them walked down to the steps. Outside waiting for them were Rhys, Janey, Zer0 and Athena. Troy’s mouth dropped at the sight of the cool assassin and they approached their hosts.</p>
<p>“Rhys, Bro what is up, how many years has it been?” Vaughn said excitedly.</p>
<p>“Vaughn, you’re…where are your pants?” Rhys asked noting that he was still in his underwear.</p>
<p>“Been a bandit for a long time, Bro, pants are no longer required,” he said. Sam laughed and glanced at Tyreen who had visible embarrassment in her expression.</p>
<p>“Perhaps you can give Vaughn here a good bandit upgrade Rhys, you got the tech for it, Sam Flynt, Vault Hunter,” Sam said approaching Rhys with his hand out.</p>
<p>“Rhys Strongfork, CEO of Atlas, and you’re right, we do, now do you mind explaining why I have the two biggest Streamer Stars in the Borderlands standing on my landing pad?” he asked him, glancing at the Twins who standing there trying to look intimidating.</p>
<p>“We’re in search of the Promethean Vault, call it tit for tat, you help us, we help you,” Sam offered. Rhys thought on the offer before shaking Sam’s hand.</p>
<p>“Alright, I’ll get you to that Vault, but you got to help me first, Maliwan are upping their game on trying to buy out Atlas, follow me and we can discuss more as for you two,” Rhys said pointing to the Twins. “I got an offer you might be interested in.” They all followed Rhys off the landing pad into Atlas HQ. Sam thought he walked into a Science-Fiction movie at the sight he saw. His mouth dropped as Troy nudged him.</p>
<p>“I know right, this is awesome,” he said. “Man I’ve dreamed of seeing cool shit like this, if dad could see me now.” Troy summoned his drone to get some shots of the architecture as Rhys led them all to a large glass lift.</p>
<p>“My office is right up here, Zer0, you mind sweeping the perimeter, make sure there’s no Maliwan Spies,” Rhys to Zer0 who responded with a smiley emoji.</p>
<p>“Of course I shall sweep/make sure no bad guys got in/I’ll be back in five,” Zer0 said before seemingly vanishing. Troy seemed to squeak at Zer0 vanishing.</p>
<p>“He is so cool, how did you nab him for Atlas?” Troy asked dying to know and throwing all composure out the window.</p>
<p>“We’re pretty tight, Zer0 and I, found a vault together,” Rhys said with a smug grin.</p>
<p>“The Vault of the Traveller, how is it that you guys are considered Vault Hunters and the Crimson Raiders leave you alone, Outer Planet here decides to open one teeny-tiny vault that’s not even worth their time and he’s considered the absolute worst,” Tyreen commented, she knew the Crimson Raiders had a motive, Lilith in particular, she was somehow the driving force behind it all.</p>
<p>“Ever been affiliated with Handsome Jack at all, I did a job for him on Elpis opening the Vault of the Guardian, Lilith kidnapped me and almost tried to kill me,” Athena told them. “Were it not for those Vault Guardians, I would be dead.”</p>
<p>“Not to mention the Siren Lilith killed,” Janey added on.</p>
<p>“What Siren!” Tyreen demanded, Lilith killing a fellow Siren?</p>
<p>“Oh it’s true, Scooter, God rest his soul, told me once about this Siren that sort of fell in love with Jack, she was a pretty wild Siren, could create astral versions of beasties, she was awesome according to Scooter, anyway she was also looking for a Vault and teamed up with Jack, during a confrontation with Lilith, Lilith killed her, pretty brutally too from what Scooter said, girl just wanted to be a Vault Hunter and Lilith killed her in cold blood, she wasn’t even fighting back,” Janey told her.</p>
<p>“Fuck!” Troy said in shock. “What happened to the Siren’s powers?”</p>
<p>“No one knows,” Athena said. “If the Crimson Raiders are also after this Vault, they might try to persuade Atlas to give you up.”</p>
<p>“Not going to happen,” Rhys said as the doors opened up to his office. “When we found the Gortys Project all those years ago, they only ever interfered once and that was to get Athena, when word got out that Fiona and I had discovered the Vault of the Traveller, they started searching for us, even tried to get the Gortys Project from us, not that they succeeded, Fiona’s gone off the grid but she took Gortys with her, I’m still looking for her, but they aren’t, which is a good thing, I prefer my friend was safe away from them.”</p>
<p>“So about Maliwan then,” Sam said.</p>
<p>“Right, Katagawa Jr. has been trying for months to buy out Atlas from me, I keep telling him no, first it was meetings, then it was gifts, then it was grenades in cakes, now I’m hearing that he’s planning a full scale hostile takeover, my people on the ground are preparing but we don’t have nearly enough soldiers to defend against such an invasion, which is where you guys come in, you two, you’re highly influential, got a lot of followers, think they’ll take up arms against Maliwan?” Rhys asked them pointing at the Twins.</p>
<p>“Our followers are Psychos and guys with missing limbs all stuck on Pandora, the Raiders will mow them down, unless you have equally messed up people on this planet, our influence ain’t gonna do jack shit and I don’t have the means to transport thousands of loyal followers from planet to planet, Troy only just figured out how to do that and even he’s struggling, trying to even move one guy would kill him,” Tyreen told Rhys. “What you need…is a show.”</p>
<p>“A show?” Vaughn asked him.</p>
<p>“How long till Maliwan forces get here?” Tyreen asked him.</p>
<p>“At least three days’ time, we’re preparing now cause they’re bringing the big guns in, why what’s your angle kid?” Rhys said to her.</p>
<p>“The biggest Underdome Match in history, bigger than the Campaign of Carnage, bigger than Moxxie’s Underdome’s. The Promethean Powerhouse, Me and Troy versus Maliwan Forces and the Valkyrie here versus Katagawa’s Champion, with maybe a few of our loyal followers doing warm-up shows of blood-rage and sacrifices, you know for show, we win Maliwan never comes back, we lose, they take Atlas,” Tyreen suggested with a grin. Her biggest show ever and she’d get to be the star.</p>
<p>“Livestreamed across the Borderlands with Mr. Torgue on commentary, we make it huge, spectacular and we convince people this is the biggest corporate show out there, betting pools, Eridium Tier Seating, we get the Crimson Raider’s attention and we show them, you don’t mess with the Calypso Twins,” Troy added on as he drone flew in through an open window towards him.</p>
<p>“With an added bonus,” Rhys said. “Maliwan have a Vault Key fragment, the Promethean Vault Key was split into three parts, we have one, Maliwan has one but we don’t know where the third piece is located, however, if Maliwan are bringing in their big guns, then they’ll be bringing their laser out, and if they’re bringing a laser to a gun fight, no doubt the Vault Key fragment will be near it, so while you guys put on a show for Katagawa, Athena, Zer0 and I will be stealing his fragment and destroying his laser.”</p>
<p>“I like this guy, alright we have to plan, we need to make the big promotional video, I’m sure you got a big enough arena you don’t mind getting blood splattered all over right?” Tyreen asked Rhys.</p>
<p>“No, you can use our stadium, fits a good five hundred thousand spectators on a good day, we do everything there, and for good measure I’m going to sponsor you, give you my best weapons we have developed for this,” he said to him. Tyreen grinned, her first corporate sponsor.</p>
<p>“Alright Strongfork, you sponsor us, we help take down your enemies, you get us into that Vault, deal?” she asked him.</p>
<p>“Deal,” Rhys agreed.</p>
<p>“You do know that by doing this the Raiders will consider Atlas an enemy and on side with the Calypsos’,” Vaughn pointed out.</p>
<p>“Oh fuck the Crimson Raiders Vaughn, no way you can go back to them after all you’ve done,” Tyreen pointed out to him.</p>
<p>“The God-Queen makes an excellent point, well looks like we’re putting on a show of blood and visceral carnage, Bandit Life!” Vaughn agreed.</p>
<p>“Well it looks like we have a plan, think you can get that announcement video done by tomorrow?” Rhys asked Troy.</p>
<p>“Already got concepts drafted, we just need my drone, some highlights and I need one of your CEO pictures, get me something good though, I don’t want trash I can’t work with,” he answered already on his ECHO and writing things down.</p>
<p>“I’ll get that to you, right now I think you all deserve to rest, Janey, you’re off duty for the night, go take your girl here out for dinner, on me,” Rhys said as he handed her a thick wad of cash.</p>
<p>“Well if the boss is paying,” Janey said as she and Athena headed for the lift. As the lift closed and descended Rhys stared at his four new guests wondering what next for them.</p>
<p>“Vaughn, you and I are going to catch up right now and we’re going to get you some pants,” Rhys said to Vaughn.</p>
<p>“We’re going to work on our announcement, I have a good idea for it,” Tyreen said as she pushed Troy back towards the lift. Sam was the only one left with no plan, at best, he wanted to go to sleep.</p>
<p>“I’m thinking bed then,” Sam said.</p>
<p>“Well then you’ll need this,” Rhys said handing him a key. “I have like twelve apartments, you can use this one to stay in while you’re here, all of you, and it’s a nice apartment in the Meridian Metroplex.” Sam took the key and looked at it, he glanced up at Troy in the lift who winked at him. The lift started to descend and nightfall started to descend on Promethea.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Halcyon Nights</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The apartment Rhys had loaned him was luxury indeed, situated at the top of one of the buildings in the Metroplex with a gorgeous city view from its balcony which also had a hot tub. Sam settled down, on a soft king-sized double bed, amongst comfy red pillows and a red matching duvet, wearing nothing but his high quality Hyperion branded boxers, expensive but worth it. This was luxury living and he knew it.</p>
<p>“God a guy could get used to this,” he muttered to himself. He turned on his ECHO tuning into Halcyon Nights FM.</p>
<p>“Welcome to Halcyon Nights, where it’s always Midnight somewhere in the galaxy, I’m your host DJ Weaver and right now it’s late here on Promethea but for all you night folk and insomniacs who want to chill to the blues and make love to your favourite person, we’ve got some perfect tunes ready,” DJ Weaver said on the radio. Sam ran his hand down the red duvet beneath him and sighed as chill music started to play.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>I can't seem to focus<br/>And you don't seem to notice I'm not here<br/>I'm just a mirror<br/>You check your complexion<br/>To find your reflection's all alone<br/>I had to go</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sam sat up on the bed and could see the balcony before him, he glanced out and wondered how Troy was getting on. He seemed genuinely excited to be on Promethea, as if it had been a goal of his. He climbed off the bed and walked towards the balcony, his ECHO in his hand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Can't you hear me?<br/>I'm not comin' home<br/>Do you understand?<br/>I've</em>
  
  <em>changed</em>
  
  <em>my</em>
  
  <em>plans</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The night air was cool, a gentle breeze blowing against his body as he listened to the sounds of Cyclones racing through the streets. He leaned down on the balcony and place his ECHO on the floor next to him. Leaning on the balcony, he thought back to the first time he found Troy and Tyreen’s livestream. He had ditched school to start secretly preparing to leave his backwater Outer Planet home when he saw on a TV one of their propaganda videos. He found a livestream of their and tuned in. In it Tyreen was demonstrating the proper use of a COV Firearm against a Psycho who was tied to a spinning wheel. Troy showed up on camera pointed out the Psycho’s weak points, dabbed, and walked off camera. As stupid as the dab was he kept tuning in to their livestreams watching the bloody mayhem.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>'Cause I, I'm</em>
  
  <em>in love</em>
  <em><br/>With my</em>
  
  <em>future</em>
  <em><br/>Can't wait to meet her<br/>And I (I), I'm in love<br/>But not with anybody else<br/>Just wanna get to know myself</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He sighed and leaned down on his arms, he’d never experienced love, he was still a stupid kid in some areas, and love was one of them.</p>
<p>“Alright listeners, we’re taking in calls right now, got a question, a problem, a request, ol’ DJ Weaver will answer the call,” DJ Weaver said as the song died down. Sam picked up his ECHO and called up the number for the station, there was a long moment of waiting before someone finally answered.</p>
<p>“Alright listeners, we’ve got our first caller, who are you and what’s got you up this late?” DJ Weaver asked.</p>
<p>“Hi DJ Weaver, my name’s Sam and I have a question about love,” he said.</p>
<p>“Love eh, well ol’ Weaver can help you there, what’s got you down boy?” DJ Weaver answered.</p>
<p>“I might be falling for someone but I don’t know how serious he thinks it is, he’s pretty popular and could have anyone, but why would he want someone like me?” Sam started.</p>
<p>“Well tell us about yourself Sam, and tell us about this guy?”</p>
<p>“Well I love adventure, I grew up in the Outer Planets on Zefora, they’re not very kind there, I grew up wanting adventure, believing I could be as great as Typhon DeLeon one day, I don’t want anything to stop me and I’d anything for this guy, he’s amazing, he’s like…he’s like gravity and I can’t escape it, is that stupid?” Sam said.</p>
<p>“Gravity, kid I think you’re experiencing love for the first time, never felt it before have you?” DJ Weaver guessed.</p>
<p>“Never have, people made fun of me, ‘you can’t like boys Sam’ and yet I could and I did and this guy, I half wondered if it was a joke, until he kissed me.”</p>
<p>“Doesn’t sound like a joke, sounds like it might be the real deal, let me give you a bit of advice, everyone has a little voice in their hearts, why don’t you give yours a listen and see what the ticker has to say,” DJ Weaver advised him.</p>
<p>“Thanks DJ Weaver,” Sam said. “Think you could play a little Humility for me?”</p>
<p>“You got it Sam, you take care and listen to that little voice alright, here for you listeners is Humility,” DJ Weaver said. Sam turned off the ECHO, tuning back into the station as Humility started to play. Maybe it was real. He heard noise behind him as he saw Troy phase walk into the bedroom, he was still standing which was a good thing, but his wings were large, draconic like, fascinating. He stood up and shrugged off the jacket and dropped two backpacks. His eyes glanced over Sam and he nodded approvingly.</p>
<p>“Halcyon Nights FM, my favourite radio station,” he said.</p>
<p>“Really, I wouldn’t have pegged you for a Halcyon listener,” Sam said slightly surprised.</p>
<p>“Yeah well, a lot of things about me are surprising,” Troy said as he started to unclasp his prosthetic arm. As he dropped it, he rubbed his shoulder where the arm had been and opened one arm to pull out an arm harness. “Metal arms are cool but they’re heavy and my shoulder’s pretty weak from carrying it around all day,” he said strapping the harness on and covering his shoulder.</p>
<p>“How’d you handle growing up with a right arm?” Sam asked him, most people he knew without limbs lost them way later in life, mostly due to explosions or getting their limbs ripped off by vicious beasties. Troy walked over to him and leaned on the balcony.</p>
<p>“I learned to hold things with my feet after a while, they can be versatile when they need to be, dad helped make the arm I have now but it’s not exactly holding together, damn thing near breaks daily now,” he said. He tilted his head back and breathed in the air for a brief moment and exhaled slowly.</p>
<p>“Quite the view huh,” he said.</p>
<p>“Yeah, it’s really something, I was planning to go relax for a bit before I went to sleep but now I’m thinking I delay it just a little longer,” Sam said to him. Troy grinned and glanced towards the bedroom.</p>
<p>“Why don’t we have a little fun then,” he suggested. Sam laughed a little, feeling his cheeks blushing as he stepped forward.</p>
<p>“Alright then,” he agreed. Troy walked forward grabbing Sam’s hand and pulled him through the doors into the bedroom, he jumped back onto the bed, Sam landing on top of him and kissing him. Sam giggled, grabbing Troy’s only arm and pinning it above his head. He was nervous, excited, but what were they going to go. He let go of Troy’s arms, sitting on his waist and dragging his hand down his chest, his abs and to his jeans, running his fingers down the coarse material, feeling the movement of something. One button popped. Two buttons popped. Three buttons popped. And underneath the coarseness, soft silk, silk? Sam, climbed back pulling the God-King’s jeans off him, pulling the boots off with them. Troy shuffled backwards on the bed, waiting, ready, eager. Sam had never done this before, had Troy or was it his air of confidence that had him calm. He crawled back onto the bed, climbed onto Troy’s lap and for a brief moment, stopped.</p>
<p>“What?” Troy asked him. Sam smiled and kissed in answer.</p>
<p>“I might be turning into an all-powerful warrior but I’ve never done anything like this, you?”</p>
<p>“Well it’s your lucky night, you’re about to be the first person to have sex with the God-King, just relax and let me do the work,” Troy told Sam as he slipped his hand down his waistband. Sam bit his lip nervously as he slipped off the boxers, naked before the God-King. Sam breathed in as he pulled on the silk boxers Troy had, God-Kings must get the best, he thought to himself as he pulled them off Troy. As he threw them away, his eyes widened slightly in awe at Troy.</p>
<p>“Holy-,” he whispered. There was even Siren tattoos all over it.</p>
<p>“Wanna see it glow?” Troy asked him with a wicked smile. Sam chuckled nervously, oh Lords he was not prepared for a Siren. But he had a possible plan.</p>
<p>“Open your mouth,” Sam said to him. Troy obliged, opening his mouth and letting his tongue hang. He placed his index and middle finger into Troy’s mouth. Troy closed his mouth, sucking fervently. Once slick, Sam pulled his fingers, relaxing himself, he breathed out, slipping both fingers into himself, biting his lower lip.</p>
<p>“You alright?” Troy asked him. Sam nodded.</p>
<p>“I’m good now, are you?” he asked gripping Troy with his other hand, hard, ready to go.<br/><br/>“You know it,” he said. Sam grinned and kissed Troy with full force, manoeuvring himself and feeling Troy’s glowing manhood, slip into him. He gritted his teeth, biting down on the Siren’s shoulder, breathing in deep and relaxing.</p>
<p>“Good to go?” Troy asked him, wrapping his arm around him.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Sam answered. He kissed Troy again, and started to move his hips. Troy’s tattoos started to glow from this, his breathing started to quicken, pleasure bubbling, Sam threw his head back, moving faster, was this it, this fast, could he slow it down? His mind was giving him a thousand questions in the moment. Could Troy leech his energy, his powers, could they share power? So many questions but none of it mattered. Troy pulled him in, his head against Sam’s chest, listening to the pounding beats of his heart.</p>
<p>“Sam,” he breathed, pulling up and staring up at him, the pearlescent tattoos glowing and reflecting off one side, the glow from his own Siren markings that were glowing brightly. Sam looked down at the God-King who bottom lip hung from the anticipation. Suddenly, Troy let out a guttural moan, feeling his body rock from the orgasm that started to spill. Sam slowed down, coming to a stop as he rested his forehead against Troy’s.</p>
<p>“You okay there?” he asked him as the glow of their tattoos started to fade. Troy could only laugh.</p>
<p><br/>“So that’s what it’s like,” he said taking in a deep breath and exhaling. “What about you, feel good?”</p>
<p><br/>“I can feel good later, God-King,” Sam said before giving Troy a long lingering kiss, he was glad he listened to that little voice. “For now I just want to stay close.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Second Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Vaughn told Tyreen to meet him in the lobby of Atlas HQ, she wasn’t sure why as Troy had ditched her straight after their announcement for the Promethean Powerhouse had been completed. It was late and very few employees were making the rounds in the lobby but she could feel eyes on her, the God-Queen standing in the lobby of Atlas Headquarters. She had half a mind to ditch, maybe go wander the city by herself but had no way of finding the apartment Rhys had loaned them all. She sighed wishing her dad had taught her more basic life skills. The glass lift that led to Rhys’s office was descending and she saw standing in the middle of the lift, looking hotter than previously, Vaughn.</p>
<p>“How is he going from a two to an eight to a twelve?” she asked herself as she stared at the Bandit. He was actually wearing trousers, leather and tight, not sure which breed of monster though, knee-length boots, equipped to hold knives, holsters for pistols, and a badass leather bandit harness, spikes on the left shoulder, arm cuff on the right, a strap across the chest and still showing off his surprisingly rock hard abs. She still couldn’t comprehend that it was Vaughn, the idiot bandit who had twelve clans in five years. “You look…” she had no words, ones that she wanted to use anyway.</p>
<p>“Dashing, handsome, a real bandit, yeah Rhys helped me out there, gotta say these pants me feel like I’m not even wearing pants, it’s the best of both worlds,” he said.</p>
<p>“What did you want anyway?” she asked getting to the point.</p>
<p>“Ah yes well, see Rhys and I were catching and the topic of you came up and I told him about…you know us, ninety-five percent right, anyway he said I should treat you to a real date, God-Queen style,” Vaughn told her.</p>
<p>“And in your mind, what would constitute a God-Queen style date?” Tyreen asked, he wasn’t serious was he?</p>
<p>“Well with Rhys’s help, we’re getting Burgers from Beau’s, then iced-frappes’ from the Rise and Grind Coffee House and while we’re waiting on those, we’re getting my car, heading to the outskirts through the waterways to go and look for a couple guys’ by the name of Rax and Max to kill, by the time we’re done, food will be ready and we’ll have a nice date spot,” Vaughn told her. Burgers, cold coffees, and murder, sounded like a good date to her.</p>
<p>“Alright Vaughn, let’s have a second date,” Tyreen said. Did those words seriously come out of her mouth? A second date with Vaughn, well if the first one can even be considered a date.</p>
<p>“Alright, my Queen,” Vaughn said holding out his arm to her. Tyreen laughed and gingerly linked her arm around his and they left the lobby of Atlas Headquarters.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Outside the building, Vaughn’s car was digitised and waiting for them, with a nice sonic boost upgrade to it. Tyreen had to admit, it was not looking too bad.</p>
<p>“Not the worst car I’ve seen, would look better in gold,” she said.</p>
<p>“Gold, there’s a thought, alright would you like the passenger seat, or the gunner seat?” Vaughn asked her. Tyreen thought sitting inside would be nice, but also his car had a gun.</p>
<p>“I’m thinking gun,” she said and let go of Vaughn to climb onto the top of the car. She sat in the gunner seat, grasping the handle of the gun and smiling a bit, this’ll do nicely. Vaughn climbed into the driver seat and started to drive them through back to the Metroplex and into the Meridian Outskirts. Rival bandits would start to give chase but Tyreen would blow out their tires or their engines.</p>
<p>“I just got those refilled!” One guy shouted as Tyreen blew out his tires.</p>
<p>“Oh too bad!” Tyreen shouted back to the guy before laughing. “I am having so much fun right now,” she cried out standing up in the gunner seat and raising one arm above her head.</p>
<p>“Well don’t get too excited, save that for Rax and Max,” Vaughn called up to her. She sat back down, smoothed down her hair and saw a ramp coming up that would take them into the waterways.</p>
<p>“Better get boosting,” she advised him. Vaughn pressed down on the boost , the car picking up speed and drove off the ramp into the air, the car flying for a second before slamming down into the water.</p>
<p>“WOOO!” Tyreen yelled out.</p>
<p>“Bandit Life!” Vaughn yelled out.<br/><br/>“Bandit Life!” Tyreen shouted out in agreement. What was this man doing to her? Vaughn pull the car to a stop, they were at their location.</p>
<p>“Okay we’re here, time to clear out this little love nest, maybe put a few bloody skulls up, get a new rug, you know, make it me,” Vaughn said climbing out of the car. He grabbed a couple guns from the back.</p>
<p>“Would you like corrosive or incendiary?” he asked showing them off. An Atlas Corrosive SMG or a Hyperion Incendiary Rifle. Tyreen was spoiled for choice.</p>
<p>“I pick the rifle, I like to watch the bad guys’ burn,” she said taking the rifle. “So we go in, set fire to the bad guys and then what, dinner and a show?”</p>
<p>“If you call watching bandits try to kill each other below our feet a show,” Vaughn said. She followed him to a lift leading to the den of Max and Rax. AS the lift doors opened, Vaughn and Tyreen looked at each other before going in guns blazing.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Fire and Acid started spewing as bullet started flying from the other side, Tyreen charging in, occasionally grabbing a Psycho who got too close, to leech and turn him to dust.</p>
<p>“I’m going to make a smoothie out of your spine!” A Psycho shouted as he ran at Tyreen, wooden board with a saw blade attached raise high. Tyreen grabbed him by the throat, stopping him in his tracks.</p>
<p>“And I’m going to make your whole being into a milkshake,” she told him and leeched him into dust. The minions were picked clean as Rax and Max came out of their hiding hole to face down Vaughn and Tyreen.</p>
<p>“Well, well Rax, looks like we’ve got ourselves a couple new bodies for the meat grinder, who do you want to take out the tiny man or the girl?” Max asked before Tyreen just started shooting.</p>
<p>“Never monologue,” she advised them as Max soon burned to a crisp and Rax started firing. Vaughn reloaded and began to fire more acid all over Rax as he started screeching from the corrosive damage. Pretty soon he was a melted puddle on the ground next to his friend, slowly dissolving away.</p>
<p>“Nice work, my Queen,” Vaughn complimented Tyreen. “Alright Rhys, Rax and Max are down and their hideout is all clear, fixed that little problem for you,” he said onto his ECHO.</p>
<p>“Thank Vaughn, Rhys-Drone will be arriving soon with your food, enjoy,” Rhys answered. Tyreen found a small platform sit on, dangling her legs off as she looked over the waterways, buildings in the distance and the faint sounds of gun shots and Cyclones racing. A small drone flew through air and to them, holding two bags and a double cup holder.</p>
<p>“The drone placed the food down beside Tyreen before flying up and away again. She grabbed one of the iced-frappes’ and the burger bags.</p>
<p>“Oh good food’s here, so how are you finding this date so far?” Vaughn asked sitting beside her and grabbing the other burger bag.</p>
<p>“I was a little sceptical at first, but I’m having a lot of fun, no one’s ever…treated me this way before,” she said blushing a little.</p>
<p>“No one?” Vaughn asked her, that couldn’t be true.</p>
<p>“No one, my loyal followers shower me with gifts, mostly skulls or severed limbs or Eridium if they can find it, and Mouthpiece is…a little intense, but no one’s treated me this nicely,” Tyreen said. Vaughn could almost see a barrier breaking down around her, dropping the God-Queen persona.</p>
<p>“Wanna try the burger, Rhys tells me these burgers and this coffee is the best in the galaxy and we used to work for Hyperion,” Vaughn said. Tyreen unwrapped the burger, taking a large bite out of it.</p>
<p>“Oh my me, this is delicious, holy crap, the best in the galaxy?” she asked him between mouthfuls.</p>
<p>“I know they’re great,” Vaughn agreed, wolfing his burger down. Tyreen had to admit it was better than most burgers she’d tried, even better than Troy’s Mystery Burger, which she was pretty sure contained Rakk and Skag. By the time she was done, a couple bandit riders were having a race through the waterways and had been running laps.</p>
<p>“Alright who do you think’s gonna win, I’m thinking, that Mohawk in the Cyclone,” Tyreen said taking a sip of her coffee.</p>
<p>“I think Green Wig could win it, let’s see, I think they’re starting,” Vaughn replied. They watched as the two Cyclones lined up at a starting line and someone honked an air horn. Both Cyclones started to ride, with Green Wig taking the lead for a short time before Mohawk began to pick up the pace and overtake.</p>
<p>“Come on Mohawk, if you win I won’t blow up your car,” Tyreen shouted down.</p>
<p><br/>“No, beat her Green Wig, or I’ll shave your head,” Vaughn shouted down.</p>
<p>“Hey shut the hell up!” a couple spectators on the ground shouted up to them.</p>
<p>“Make me Trashbag!” Vaughn shouted down. Tyreen laughed, she couldn’t remember the last time she had this much fun, well she could it was in the Handsome Jack suite at the Eden-4 Spa. She finished up her coffee just as Mohawk crossed the finish line.</p>
<p>“And Mohawk gets the win, looks like Green Wig is about to get a haircut,” Tyreen said with a smug look.</p>
<p>“I don’t think that’ll be a good idea, his arms look massive,” Vaughn said as Green Wig went to confront Mohawk over the race.</p>
<p>“Well looks like it’s about to get interesting,” She noted inching closer to Vaughn as they watch the drama unfold. They watched Mohawk and Green Wig started to exchange words, got into shoving, then fighting, and then when Mohawk pulled a gun, Green Wig pulled a gun and they both started to shoot. Eventually Mohawk got the winning kill.</p>
<p>“I have to hand it to Mohawk, he had a good evening,” Vaughn pointed out as Mohawk got into his Cyclone and drove away.</p>
<p>“He really did, and I’m having a good evening too,” Tyreen replied.</p>
<p>“Really, so, a successful date?” Vaughn exclaimed in surprise. Tyreen nodded at his surprise.</p>
<p>“A successful date, you treated me like an actual God-Queen, even after everything we did in the Spa,” she said.</p>
<p>“Ninety-five percent,” Vaughn said proudly. Tyreen laughed and leaned on him looking over the waterways. Even if it was Vaughn of all people, he was a pretty decent bandit and a nice guy. She looked at Vaughn, leaned towards him and gave him a kiss. Vaughn was a little surprised, but leaned in to it. After a long moment, Tyreen broke from the kiss.</p>
<p>“Night’s still young Vaughn, where to next?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Zane Flynt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning as Tyreen and Vaughn stumbled into the loaner apartment, they found it clean and empty, except for the loud banging and moaning coming from one of the bedrooms, and then the sound of Troy moaning out loudly.</p>
<p>“Oh disgusting,” Tyreen said pretending to gag, that was not what she wanted to hear. As she walked over to the open plan kitchen, the bedroom door opened as Troy walked out, half dressed.</p>
<p>“Hi sis,” he said with a goofy grin on his face. Sam walked out the door, almost dressed, pulling on his t-shirt.</p>
<p>“Tyreen, Vaughn, where were you two all night?” he asked glancing at Vaughn who slyly gave him a thumbs up.</p>
<p>“Just around,” Tyreen said casually grabbing a glass from one of the cupboards. “Be sure to the turn the flat screen on, our announcement is about to go live.” Sam went to the TV and turned it on as sudden static went across the screen and the Children of the Vault symbol appeared.</p>
<p>“What is up loyal followers? God-Queen Tyreen, coming at you from the Atlas Headquarters on Promethea where we are announcing the Promethean Powerhouse!” Tyreen announced on the screen. “A full day of blood, guts, mayhem, carnage and a special challenge for those corporate assholes Maliwan.”</p>
<p>“That’s right people, as you know Maliwan are trying to get their claws into Atlas so we’re offering them a challenge. As part of the Promethean Powerhouse we are playing for Atlas itself, so Katagawa if you’re listening, we have two offers for you, myself and Tyreen against an armada of your best soldiers and our champion the Valkyrie against a Champion of your choosing, if you can win either of these challenges you get all of Atlas and if we win…well that’s for us to know and you to find out,” Troy said on the TV as splashes on himself, Tyreen and Sam appeared across the screen.</p>
<p>“And that’s not all super fans, we’ve got car races, Eridium Tier perks and Mr. Torgue on commentary,” Tyreen said on the TV as a splash screen of Mr. Torgue appeared.</p>
<p>“THIS IS GONNA BLOW THE ROOF OFF!” Mr. Torgue yelled on the screen.</p>
<p><br/>“How’d you nab Mr. Torgue?” Sam asked them.</p>
<p>“Told him I was a fan,” Troy said.</p>
<p>“If you want to get in on the action then join us at the Atlas Strongfork Arena on this date and get ready for the highest stakes of your life,” Tyreen on the screen said as the title for the event splashed across.</p>
<p>“God damn, Katagawa’s got to say yes to this,” Vaughn said.</p>
<p>“Yeah but the Crimson Raiders are going to see it too,” Sam said. Suddenly his ECHO started to beep, he pressed answer as a hologram of Zane Flynt appeared before him.</p>
<p>“Samson James, you’re in big trouble!” he shouted before vanishing.</p>
<p>“Oh shit,” Sam said.</p>
<p>“Was that your dad?” Troy asked him.<br/><br/>“Yep and he’s pissed as all hell, I’m more fucked than I was twenty minutes ago,” Sam answered. His ECHO beeped again, it was Rhys. “Talk to me Rhys.”</p>
<p>“Love the announcement for Promethean Powerhouse, Katagawa is sure to answer the call and when he does, we’ll be on hand to destroy his laser, I’ll make sure to do the opening ceremony and after that we’re on mission to get the Vault Key fragment,” Rhys said on the hologram. “You kids sure know how to pull in a crowd we sold two hundred thousand tickets within seconds of that airing.” Suddenly there was a loud banging on the door of the apartment.</p>
<p>“We’ll meet you at Headquarters later to talk, right now I think I’m about to get grounded,” Sam said and ended the call. He stood up facing the door as Troy stood behind him in support and Vaughn and Tyreen stayed behind the counter. “It’s Open!” Sam shouted to the door. It burst open as an angry white haired man stomped into the apartment, gun raise, drone ready and clone activated.</p>
<p>“Samson James,” he began in a strong accent resembling Sam’s own.</p>
<p>“Samson James Flynt to you, or were you hoping I was too dumb to ever go looking for proof,” Sam said. “So dad how’d you find me, intuition, radar, or did you finally call mum again after all this time?”</p>
<p>“Commander Lilith told me, said you were shacking up with the COV and look what I find, boyo here behind you just as she said he’d be,” Zane told him sternly.</p>
<p>“Hey, he never joined us, we ended up working together,” Troy argued in Sam’s defence. “Never recruited him, never kidnapped him, it was just a happy accident.”</p>
<p>“You and I are going to have a different discussion boyo!” Zane shouted to Troy.</p>
<p>“We should leave,” Vaughn said nudging Tyreen to move.</p>
<p>“None of you are going anywhere,” Zane said pointing his gun to Vaughn. Tyreen held up her arm showing the glowing blue Siren tattoos.</p>
<p>“You better point that thing somewhere else,” she told him sternly. Zane scoffed, pointing the gun back to Troy, who was in no shape for defence as his arm was still in the other room.</p>
<p>“Are you really going to shoot a guy with one arm?” Troy asked him half-jokingly.</p>
<p>“I once shot at a guy with no arms and he still managed to stab me with a knife,” Zane told him. “They dropped me off on Pandora, while they’re off on Athenas, so I could find you, she wants you alive boyo and your boyfriend dead.”</p>
<p>“You told her who I was right, a baby Flynt?” Sam said to him. “Little baby Samson James Flynt, oh yes I found the photograph, you brought me to Pandora, you showed me off to Uncles’ Baron and Captain, and Cousin Sparky and you lied to me about it!”</p>
<p>“They insisted on seeing you, another Flynt in the powder keg that is our family, so I swore I’d take you once and then never again, you’re better than them I am better than them,”  Zane said to him.</p>
<p>“How did you even know to find me, you couldn’t have known I was here?” Sam asked.</p>
<p>“Well when they dropped me off, I started to scout, locate, look for clues, and then I caught Vaughn here canoodling with your God-Queen in the waterways, so I knew who to follow, and I did for six bloody hours!” Zane said. Troy started to laugh at the revelation until Zane cocked his gun and he shut right up. “Now Sam, boyo, I got a question for you, just what the hell are you doing opening Vaults?”</p>
<p>“Seeking adventure, what did you really think I was going to stay on Zefora forever, in a town where they beat the crap out of me because I liked guys, yeah mum never told you that did she in your annual ECHO calls, how those bastards from school held me down while they broke both my arms, shoved my head in dirt, spat on me and called me a ‘cock guzzler’ and all other manner of filth, she never told you that part?” Sam asked him. Troy’s mouth dropped at that information, Tyreen gasped and glanced at Vaughn who was just as shocked. Zane stood there, head lowered.</p>
<p>“No, she did not,” he said in a low voice.</p>
<p>“And you wonder why I’m hunting Vaults I’d rather face the monsters in those things, than ever go back home and face those bastards,” Sam said.</p>
<p>“But why them!” Zane demanded.</p>
<p>“Because they don’t want my power, they want my help, when I found that first Vault and those exploding crystals, do you know what Lilith did when she heard about it, demand I hand over what I found because I was ‘just a kid’, so I told her to piss off and I got two million from the Torgue Corporation, enough to spend the last year figuring out how to get off that godforsaken planet, and also get a bit of revenge,” Sam answered. “What did she tell you, that your son has joined the COV who want to take over the galaxy?”</p>
<p>“Just that a stupid kid is running with the COV, she doesn’t know you’re my son,” Zane said.</p>
<p>“But she knows about this right?” Sam asked as he unleashed his fire wings and his ice powers. “I’m hunting for the Valkyrie Vaults, and I’m helping Tyreen finish her own father’s adventure, and at least I’m not pointing a gun at my own kid.” Zane lowered the gun at that comment, sending the drone and the clone away. Sam had a good point.</p>
<p>“You know she’ll kill you right, all of you, you especially Vaughn, you pissed her off on a very specific level, you’re lucky they’ve been called away on a distress call or she would have come after you again,” Zane told them.</p>
<p>“So why are you here then, to warn us?” Tyreen asked him.</p>
<p>“I needed to see my son and get a straight answer from him about why he left the Outer Planets, now I know why, Sam…as far as Lilith knows, I wasn’t able to find you, but you are treading a very dangerous line boyo and if she catches you, I’m the one who’s going to lose everything,” he said to him. Sam walked towards him.</p>
<p>“I’m not going to stop what I’m doing dad, I’m too far down the rabbit hole to leave now, I have to find the final Valkyrie Vault and we have to stop the Destroyer, if she can’t see that…then you need to question why your so-called ‘leader’ is obsessed with stopping a few kids from being Vault Hunters?” Sam asked him,</p>
<p>“We know how dangerous those vaults are and we know how to stop it, the Liarhawk is just in it for the glory and trying to make herself be seen as this all-powerful hero who saves the day from bad guys, she didn’t even finish the job the first time around,” Tyreen said stepping out from behind the island counter.</p>
<p>“You know she tried to kill me already right on Eden-4, and what if she had, how would you have felt?” Sam asked. “How would you feel knowing your friend, your leader, killed your only son, the only son you made an effort with?” Zane took a step back, and looked away.</p>
<p>“You’d be the fourth person from my family, Captain, Baron, Sparky, she killed them all,” he said. He turned away from the four of them towards the door. He had half a mind to leave, but he had a commitment to them, he turned back.</p>
<p>“I gave my word I’d help them, but I can’t let them hurt you Sam, so make it known to them and don’t say that I told you this, but don’t let them forget that you’re a Flynt, and it’s dangerous put a Flynt around gun powder.”</p>
<p>“Promise, now we have a Powerhouse to prepare for,” Sam said to him. They gave each other a quick hug.</p>
<p>“I need a drink, and you boyo with the arm,” Zane said pointing to Troy. “If he dies, I’m taking the other arm off and slapping you with it.” Troy looked visibly confused for a moment as Zane pulled out his ECHO, pressed a button on it and digitised out of the apartment.</p>
<p>“I’ve never been threatened by someone’s dad before,” Troy realised.</p>
<p>“Jeez Sam, I thought our dad was crazy,” Tyreen commented. “But he didn’t kill us and it looks like we’ve shaken his faith with the Crimson Raiders, you kept your cool surprisingly well, if our dad had pointed a gun at us we’d…except he never would, guess he wasn’t all bad all things considered.” Sam was glad it wasn’t worse, but he knew Zane was in between a rock and a hard place, and if push came to shove, would they have to fight?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. The Night Before</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Preparing for the Promethean Powerhouse had been rough, all tickets had sold out within minutes of the announcement airing. Mad Moxxie had already offered up her services to start up a bar, Sam warned them to be cautious as Moxxie did work for the Crimson Raiders. With the plan set up, Rhys would open up the Promethean Powerhouse and have a digital clone watching from the VIP boxes to give the allusion he would be watching the show while he, Zer0, and Athena sneak onto the laser. The big events would not happen until Rhys had obtained the Vault Key Fragment from Maliwan and then they would start the main events and luckily many of Troy and Tyreen’s followers had asked to be in the Powerhouse.</p>
<p>The night before the Powerhouse was to begin, Sam stood on the balcony of the loaner apartment looking over the Metroplex, should everything to go plan tomorrow Tyreen and Troy would have two of the three Vault Key fragments, but where was the third one?</p>
<p>“And what’s got you so wistful tonight, the gang wanted to do karaoke and you declined, Tyreen and Vaughn decided to go because…I don’t know she likes doing weird shit like that, including doing the Sun Smasher,” Troy said joining him on the balcony. Sam found it amusing, his new Bro he had known for several days and the God-Queen.</p>
<p>“It’s ninety-five percent Troy, can’t ignore that kind of chemistry, according to Vaughn that is, I still don’t get it,” Sam answered. “Why didn’t you go with them, leave me to my brooding on the balcony like some tragic hero in one of my tales.”</p>
<p>“Because I am not singing in front of a bunch of drunk strangers, I have something called taste,” Troy told him. Sam scoffed at his comment.</p>
<p>“Says the man who dab’s un-ironically, and uses the word ‘yeet’ when throwing something, yeah you’re a real pinnacle of high-class,” he said sarcastically.</p>
<p>“You are an asshole Sam, you know that,” Troy said to him as he started to detach his prosthetic arm. “Anyway I’d rather hang out with you than third wheel my sister, oh sometimes I wish I wasn’t her parasitic twin, would have been easier had she not tried to eat me before we arrived in the universe.”</p>
<p>“You’re pretty special though, a male Siren, granted Tyreen is your lifeline, but it’s still pretty awesome to see, my only question is how you can leech power but also phase walk,” Sam said.</p>
<p>“Yeah I don’t get it either, your weird friend Tannis could probably answer all that, were she not in hiding. I learnt I could do it before I met you, it just happened, I think Tyreen and I were arguing and she said ‘I wish you would just disappear’ and then I vanished and ended up sitting on a roof of a Catch-A-Ride for two hours until I managed to phase walk back to the Chapel, that was a crazy afternoon, she was freaking out,” Troy explained.</p>
<p>“But how did you use it to save me?” Sam asked him.</p>
<p>“It was just a feeling, I got this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach like when you eat bad Skag Stew and I just phase walked right to you, or rather pushed you, same with the Vault,” Troy said as he dropped his arm on the floor, he massaged his shoulder, feeling the weight lifted. “So what were you planning to do this evening then while everyone else partied?” Sam shrugged at the question.</p>
<p>“I don’t know, lie in bed, listen to the radio, and anxiously fret over the fear of the Crimson Raiders finding me and possibly kidnapping me and siphoning away my powers,” Sam said. “Why what did you have in mind?”</p>
<p>“Dirtier things, but if you’re stressed, I’ll help you relax, you’ve been gracious to the God-King, I might as well return the favour,” Troy said with a grin. Sam chuckled at the offer.</p>
<p>“Alright then, return the favour God-King,” Sam said beckoning Troy back into their bedroom.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Out in the Metroplex in a karaoke bar called The Singing Ratch, Tyreen and Vaughn were sat at the bar, drinks in hand watching drunken patrons sing terribly.</p>
<p>“You want to get up there and give it a whirl?” the bartender asked them as the guy singing finished his song and was met with a chorus of boos.</p>
<p>“Oh me, no I couldn’t possibly,” Tyreen said modestly. She could, she just didn’t want to.<br/><br/>“Why not, you’re practically a celebrity here, I’m sure they’d want to hear the God-Queen sing,” Vaughn suggested. Tyreen laughed, why the hell not.</p>
<p>“Oh why not and when you announce me it’s God-Queen Tyreen Calypso,” she told the bartender.</p>
<p>“Which song are you doing then?” the bartender asked bringing up a list of songs. Tyreen glanced at the list before pointing to one.</p>
<p>“Hallucinate, that one, get ready for a show Vaughn,” she said. The Bartender grabbed a mic from behind the bar.</p>
<p>“Alright people, we’ve got a new song coming up, all the way from Pandora, you all know her as the biggest badass in the galaxy it is God-Queen Tyreen Calypso!” he announced. People started to cheer and clap for Tyreen as she approached the stage.</p>
<p>“That’s my God-Queen,” Vaughn shouted as the crowd quietened. Tyreen grabbed the mic and snapped her fingers, swishing her coat as music started to start up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Pocketful of honey and I'm ready to go<br/>No, I ain't got no money, but I'm letting you know<br/>But I'ma love you like a fool<br/>Breathe you in 'til I hallucinate, mm<br/>Body make it silly, make it do what I want<br/>Oh baby, I can make it pretty, I can string you along<br/>But I'ma love you like a fool<br/>Breathe you in 'til I hallucinate, mm”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vaughn’s mouth dropped at Tyreen’s vocals, no wonder she was such a star on the ECHO.Net, the charisma, the voice. Everyone was cheering and whooping for Tyreen as she then pointed at Vaughn and started beckoning him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No, I couldn't live without your touch<br/>No, I could never have too much<br/>I'll breathe you in forever and ever<br/>Hallucinate</p>
<p>I hallucinate when you call my name<br/>Got stars in my eyes<br/>And they don't fade when you come my way<br/>I'm losing my m-m-m-mind<br/>M-m-m-mind<br/>M-m-m-mind<br/>M-m-m-mind<br/>I hallucinate when you call my name<br/>Got stars in my”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vaughn leapt out of his seat, most people were on their feet and he could see Tyreen having fun with this. When she wasn’t trying to leech the essence out of people, she was a completely different person.</p>
<p>Once Tyreen’s song was over, everyone cheered loudly for her as she bowed before the adoring crowd and eventually returned to the bar.</p>
<p>“Well Sun Smasher, what do you think?” she asked him. Vaughn did have some words, but they weren’t appropriate to say out loud because it seemed too outlandish.</p>
<p>“You were fantastic, your voice, it’s…that’s why you’re the God-Queen,” Vaughn said. Tyreen laughed as she signalled for another drink.</p>
<p>“And tomorrow millions of people are going to watch me beat down Maliwan and probably leech half their forces, will be an event to remember,” she said.</p>
<p>“And we’ll be one step closer to opening the Vault, what do you think you’ll do when it’s all over?”</p>
<p>“I’m not thinking that far ahead yet,” Tyreen told Vaughn. She hadn’t really thought of it, she wasn’t ever sure she’d get to find the Great Vault, but with Sam and Vaughn’s help it was finally happening and she could go back to her father and tell him she found it.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Up in Atlas Headquarters Rhys and Zer0 sat in Rhys’s office with a bottle of whiskey. Rhys leaned back in his chair clinking the glass to Zer0’s who was sat on his desk. Zer0 removed his mask, revealing his face and running his gloved hand through his black scruffy hair.</p>
<p>“It is good to feel/cold air rushing around me/Whiskey and a friend,” he said.</p>
<p>“No need to be so formal Zer0,” Rhys said as he sipped his drink. Zer0 laughed.</p>
<p>“Alright no more haiku, are you excited for your thrilling adventure then, become a Vault Hunter again to help a couple of kids?” he asked Rhys.</p>
<p>“Really I just want to stick it to Katagawa and his creepy crush on me, helping out the Calypso Twins might show you don’t mess with Atlas, especially with how they’re playing for the hostile takeover,” Rhys said.</p>
<p>“Are you confident in their abilities then?” Zer0 asked then as he adjusted his position on Rhys’s desk.</p>
<p>“Well they’re Sirens right, and you know Sirens you worked with Maya and Lilith, they’re powerful and their Flynt friend might have a trick or two up his sleeve if he’s Champion for Atlas,” Rhys added on.</p>
<p>“I trust they should come through for you, we however have a bigger mission on hand,” Zer0 reminded Rhys.</p>
<p>“I know, makes me miss the days of when I was still working for Hyperion, but now look at me, I bet Jack is watching me wishing he could do all the things I’m doing right now,” Rhys said playing with the odd pendant around his neck.</p>
<p>“What makes you think he’s still watching you?” Zer0 asked. Rhys smirked.</p>
<p>“Just a feeling,” he answered.</p>
<p>“Still can’t shake the experience of having Jack up here?” Zer0 asked reaching over to tap Rhys’s temple where his implant was.</p>
<p>“I never will Zer0 but if he was alive right now, he would do exactly what I’d be doing to stop this takeover, maybe I did learn something from him after all,” Rhys said.</p>
<p>“Tomorrow you’re going to show Maliwan why you don’t fuck with Atlas then,” Zer0 said.</p>
<p>“Yep, no one fucks with Rhys Strongfork,” Rhys said finishing his drink. Katagawa was going to regret the day he ever decided to takeover Atlas.</p>
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